The following is an excerpt.
The Liberal leader in the [Canadian] Senate has introduced legislation that would stop insurance companies and others from discriminating against people who are genetically susceptible to some diseases.
Sen. James Cowan’s bill, tabled Wednesday, aims to ensure people are not treated differently because genetic testing shows they have higher odds of getting certain diseases.
There are now hundreds of genetic tests available to help spot genes known to increase a person’s risk of developing certain conditions. But some people may opt against being tested for fear a positive result may mean they could face discrimination from insurance companies or their employers.
Read the full article here: Genetic Non-Discrimination Act: New Bill Would Stop Discrimination By Insurance Firms
More information:
- Insurers should be free to discriminate based on genetics. Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights.
- Study highlights the privacy risk of donating your genome. MIT Technology Review.
- Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act under scrutiny. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News.
- Should we outlaw genetic discrimination? UK Human Rights Blog.
