President Bush Signs Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Bill
Great news from the White House. President George W. Bush signed the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act into law yesterday.
Genetic technologies can help clinicians identify individuals who may be at higher risk of developing certain cancers and propose medical interventions to prevent cancer from ever occurring. They can also be used in personalized medicine strategies to identify people who may be more likely to respond to a particular therapy or drug dose and tailor a treatment strategy to that person.
Unfortunately, cancer survivors are at increased risk of experiencing discrimination from employers and insurers. Many fear the misuse of genetic information which can hinder the ability of individuals to learn important medical information that could be used to make informed cancer treatment decisions. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act will provide protections against the misuse of genetic information in health insurance coverage and employment decisions.
Dave
Posted in Staff
May 26th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
That is great news. I am 35 and a survivor of breast cancer. I have 4 girls and am very supportive of the genetic testing. I have actually put it off due to the fear that my girls could be denied medical coverage in the future.
May 26th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
No person should be denied medical coverage based on genetics. Genetic testing helped save someone that I know. Kudos to Lance Armstrong and Livestrong to bring cancer to people’s minds. To give people hope!
June 7th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
I think this is great. Especially for people who need bone marrow transplants. I have been on a list for 6 years and have not been able to find a match.