Are there risks associated with genetic testing?
A. Some people who know they’re at risk of a serious disease, because the disease runs in the family, avoid having genetic testing. They’re afraid their insurance companies or employers will drop them if tests show they have the gene variation that may lead to the disease. They fear they might have trouble getting insurance or a job. Federal legislation makes it illegal to discriminate on the basis of genetic test results. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) is a Federal law that prohibits discrimination in health coverage and employment based on genetic information. For the rare, single-gene diseases, genetic testing is important. It leads to early detection and therapy for these diseases.
