This is a good thing, and let's hope it has more teeth than HIPAA...and down the road as the legal process continues to grow...what exactly will constitute a genetic test...that needs to be outlines clearly so later a test that an individual thought was a GINA related test is not construed or determined to be a test of another type that does not fall under the law... the standards for what is considered to be a GINA protected test need to be outlined and categorized immediately, otherwise it's just a law without any real offerings or protection for citizens....BD
On Wednesday, May 21, 2008, President Bush signed the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). GINA prohibits employers and health insurers from discriminating against persons on the basis of their genetic information. The measure passed by a vote of 414-1 in the House and 95-0 in the Senate before making its way to the President’s desk.
The almost-unanimous Congressional support is indicative of the public support—or public fear—behind the measure. A 2007 survey indicated that 93 percent of Americans oppose employer or insurer access to their genetic test results. Another survey indicated that 92 percent fear harmful use of their genetic test results by employers or insurers. GINA is an attempt to put such public fear to rest. Genetic testing is currently available for 1200 diseases, and tests for hundreds of others are currently being developed.
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