Genetic discrimination
Genetic Discrimination
Genetic discrimination (/dʒɪˈnɛtɪk/ /ˌdɪskrɪmɪˈneɪʃən/) is a form of discrimination that involves the unfair treatment of individuals based on their genetic information.
Etymology
The term "genetic discrimination" is derived from the words "genetic," which refers to genes, and "discrimination," which means the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people.
Definition
Genetic discrimination occurs when people are treated differently by their employer or insurance company because they have a gene mutation that increases their risk of a certain disease. For example, a health insurer might refuse to give coverage to a woman who has a BRCA1 gene mutation that increases her risk of ovarian and breast cancer. Employers might also refuse to hire, or decide to fire, an individual with such a genetic predisposition.
Related Terms
- Genetic Testing: A type of medical test that identifies changes in chromosomes, genes, or proteins to predict a person's risk of disease or identify carriers of disease.
- Genome: The complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism.
- Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA): A U.S. law that protects individuals from genetic discrimination in health insurance and employment.
- Genetic Privacy: The concept that an individual's genetic information should be protected and only disclosed with their consent.
Legal and Ethical Issues
Genetic discrimination raises legal and ethical issues. In many countries, laws such as the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) in the U.S. have been enacted to protect individuals from genetic discrimination. However, these laws do not cover all forms of insurance (such as life, disability, and long-term care insurance) and do not apply to employers with fewer than 15 employees.
Ethically, genetic discrimination is problematic because it can lead to stigmatization and harm to individuals. It also raises questions about privacy and the right to control one's genetic information.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Genetic discrimination
- Wikipedia's article - Genetic discrimination
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