IEEE-USA-Supported Genetic Information
Nondiscrimination Act Signed into Law
WASHINGTON (30 May 2008)
—
Legislation that
IEEE-USA has long supported protecting people
from discrimination in employment and health
insurance based on genetic information was
recently signed into law.
The
Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA)
passed the House, 414-1, and the Senate, 95-0.
President Bush signed the bill on 21 May.
IEEE-USA President Dr. Russell Lefevre expressed
his appreciation in a letter (www.ieeeusa.org/policy/policy/2008/052108b.pdf)
to one of the bill's key sponsors, Rep. Louise
Slaughter (D-N.Y.).
"The
overwhelming bipartisan support for this
historic legislation is indicative of the
commitment by you and other congressional
leaders toward ensuring our nation's future in a
rapidly changing world," Lefevre wrote.
GINA
prevents health insurance companies from
changing, canceling or denying coverage based
solely on a person's genetic predisposition to a
specific disease or disorder.
Advances in genetic testing have made possible
early detection of a wide range of diseases with
hereditary links, including diabetes,
Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular disease and
various forms of cancer. Yet, people have
increasingly been reluctant to undergo these
potentially life-saving tests for fear that the
information could be used against them.
GINA
also prevents employers from basing hiring,
firing and promotion decisions on genetic
information. They are also forbidden from
requesting, requiring or disclosing such
information. Employment agencies and labor
organizations are bound by similar provisions.
Bush
said the law "protects our citizens from having
genetic information misused, and … does so
without undermining the basic premise of the
insurance industry." See
www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/05/20080521-7.html.
IEEE-USA has advocated nondiscrimination in the
use of genetic information for more than a
decade. The organization is a member of the
Coalition for Genetic Fairness, which was
founded in 2000 "to address the growing concern
surrounding the misuse of genetic information in
insurance and employment decisions."
For
more on the coalition, see
www.geneticfairness.org.
IEEE-USA advances the public good and promotes
the careers and public policy interests of more
than 215,000 engineers, scientists and allied
professionals who are U.S. members of the IEEE.
IEEE-USA is part of the IEEE, the world's
largest technical professional society with
375,000 members in 160 countries. See
www.ieeeusa.org.
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Contact:
Chris McManes
IEEE-USA Public Relations Manager
Phone: + 1 202 530 8356
E-mail: c.mcmanes@ieee.org
