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DNA Discrimination

Goldiegirl

先輩
10 Aug 2006
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The White House

I thought this was interesting. Employers or insurance companies in the USA will not be allowed to discriminate against people based on DNA testing. If you perhaps carry DNA that would make you more susceptible to cancer or high cholesterol, diabetes, they can't deny you a job or coverage. I think this is a big step. I wonder though how you would be able to prove that you were denied a job or insurance coverage because of your DNA? It always seems that there is a way around these laws. I was wondering if other countries have passed similar laws, and what your opinions are?
 
I think you're right about the fact that companies will always find ways around laws. These days if a company really wants to fire you they'll find a way. That's not going to change. Simply making it a law that they cannot discriminate against you because of your DNA is the same as saying they can't do so based on any number of currently available criteria like religion, gender, orientation, colour, etc.

What would really put a stop on any funny business would be to limit company access to medical records, and make DNA information extremely classified in all but the most necessary and extreme cases.
 
For once the USA is passing a very preventive law. That's something Europeans normally do. Americans like to allow everything and only forbid something if major problems occur.

I dont see the point of this anti-discrimination law though, because at present it is impossible to know unambiguously about someone's genetic predisposition to develop cancer or diabetes. There are too many genes involved and 90% of the human genomes is still unknown in terms of medical implications. Only a few rare genetic diseases, like cystic fibrosis, can be diagnosed through DNA test at the moment.

For many diseases, cancer included, family history can give as much information about the risk than a DNA test. Even with a strong genetic predisposition shown in the DNA, there is never 100% chances of developing a disease. Nobody is immune to developing cancer either, even with "perfect" genes. The environment and lifestyle is the most important.

If health insurance companies wanted to discriminate based on the risk of getting cancer, they should ask for a family history, information about the person's diet, lifestyle and living environment. Needless to say that if you have grown up next to a chemical factory or an electric power station, you are at risk, even if the DNA is fine.
 
I think the DNA Discrimination play important role in the DNA in human

and it can change types in the human features
 
Why don't we all live in three by five cell for the rest of our lives if we don't just go put ourselves out there. The only way you get over it is being outspoken. The world is not fair but we can change things that we don't like by standing up as a group. I was not excepted once just because of AS which is so very little in me. Almost everything is a target now days not to give you a job.
 
Insurance companies discriminate based on one's lifestyle -- smokers, for example. Don't they get higher premiums than non-smokers?

However, one cannot change one's DNA, nor is one responsible for it. I can see both sides of the issue, though. Even though you can't change your DNA, an insurance company could say they are taking a bigger risk by insuring you IF THEY KNOW THIS INFO!

How they would know is another story. ASKING for a DNA sample is obviously out of the question.
 
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