Insurance, unfair discrimination, and genetic testing

Abstract

In November, 2001, following reports from the Human Genetics Commission and a House of Commons select committee, 1 Whose hands on your genes? A discussion document on the storage, protection and use of personal genetic information. Human Genetics Commission, Department of Health, LondonNovember 2000http://www.hgc.gov.uk/Client/document.asp?DocId=38&CategoryId=8 Google Scholar , 2 Genetics and Insurance. Fifth report of the Science and technology committee. House of Commons, HC174. Stationery Office, LondonMarch, 2001 Google Scholar the UK Government introduced a 5-year voluntary moratorium on genetic testing and insurance. The moratorium allowed up to £500 000 worth of insurance cover to be obtained for mortgage cover and £300 000 for health insurance, amounts above which detailed information on genetic testing would be requested, mainly to prevent defrauding of insurance companies. Below these amounts, the insurers would not take into account unapproved genetic testing results and patients would not be forced to take a genetic test. Only testing for Huntington's disease has been approved in relation to one application for mortgage-related insurance, although other Huntington's disease applications and BRCA1 and BRCA2 (hereditary breast/ovarian cancer genes) are under consideration (panel) by the Genetics and Insurance Committee. 3 Government response to the report from the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee: Genetics and insurance. Department of Health, LondonOctober, 2001http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidanceArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4008883&chk=NotFNg Google Scholar , 4 Morrison PJ Insurance, genetic testing and familial cancer: recent policy changes in the United Kingdom. Ulster Med J. 2001; 70: 79-88 PubMed Google Scholar The Government and the Association of British Insurers (the insurance regulatory body in the UK that includes 95% of companies) have now agreed a concordat effective from March 14, 2005, extending the existing voluntary 5-year moratorium to 10 years, until Nov 1, 2011, and will review the concordat in 2008. 5 Concordat and moratorium on genetics and insurance. London: Department of Health, March, 2005. http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidanceArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4105905&chk=Gor9x8 Google Scholar This is good news for patients because the use of genetic tests in insurance is controversial. 6 Morrison PJ Implications for genetic testing for insurance in the UK. Lancet. 1998; 352: 1647-1648 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (12) Google Scholar