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GINA Series: When Employer Genetic Testing is Appropriate [Page 3]

Started by Andrew Yates · 9 months ago

Recently, President Bush signed GINA, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, into law. GINA makes it illegal for employers or health insurers to discriminate based on genetics. Virtually the entire genetics community has lauds this legislation, yet few have written why its wrong that ... Continue reading »

7 comments

  • cariaso

    1 year ago

    GINA seems to prevent employers from testing for
    http://www.snpedia.com/index.php?title=Rs3892097
    to identify the 20% of employees who are at 3x+ risk of Parkinson's if they are frequently exposed to pesticides.
    reply
  • Andrew Yates

    1 year ago

    ... and is at additional risk when taking tricyclic antidepressants. But how could this genetic information be applied in health care when people fear sharing any risks with their provider, and providers fear incurring legal liabilities regarding genetics?
    reply
  • Kevin

    1 year ago

    Well, it works in the case of someone that is a physician payed with cash only -- if you want his service, you pay cash or your insurance company reimburses you. So it's great for people running genomic medicine services like that.

    But how can a person with private or government healthcare start getting genomic medicine when there is an enormous rational fear of the government and corporations getting genomes?
    reply
  • Steven Murphy MD

    1 year ago

    Drew,
    Medicare, the governmemtal service here in the US does pay for certain genomic tests, including CYP 450 2C9 testing for coumadin metabolism. HIPAA does a decent job of covering governemntal and private misuse of some standard healthcare information. Unfortunately, this may not be enough. You should really seek out Gary Marchand at ASU of Barbara Evans at Houston for more information.

    As for Bringning Genomic Medicine to Healthcare.....There are several geneticists and physicians equipped, it is just a matter of getting them interested in providing services which aren't always properly paid for. Nationalized Healthcare systems potential could take your genome without asking for it.....that is a problem with nationalized system. My idea would be to guarantee non discrimination and then give the patient tax breaks if they participate in the submission of their genomes.....not even 23andMe are doing that.


    -Steve
    www.helixhealth.org
    reply
  • Andrew Yates

    1 year ago

    @Kevin

    I would say the first step would be to make availability of care independent from risk of need. But to make this socially and economically feasible, birth will need to be better socially administrated.

    I would support some kind of voluntary birth license that included genetic testing. Such a license would guarantee the child non-discrimination for a guarantee of lifetime health care in addition to tax breaks for the parents. I'd also like to see incentives for numerically under-represented families including graduate students and early career professionals.
    reply
  • Andrew Yates

    1 year ago

    @ Steve

    This is interesting to me; I'll contact Gary. I'd like to report what the US does provide in terms of genetic services. Can you send me a private email about this?
    reply
  • Kevin

    1 year ago

    @Drew -- US society at least is not going to shift to allow something like birth licenses for the foreseeable future. Are there any solutions viable in the next 10 years?
    reply

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