Genetic Discrimination

Genetic information can be misused. It can be used to discriminate against people in health insurance and employment. People known to carry a gene that increases their likelihood of developing cancer, for example, may get turned down for health insurance. Without health insurance, it may be impossible for some people to get treatment for a disease that could be fatal. This may lead some people to decide against genetic testing for fear of what the results might show, and who might find out about them. It also could lead some people to decline participation in biomedical research such as studies of gene mutations associated with certain diseases that examine the history of families prone to those maladies. This book examines some of the hot areas of research in the field.