President Bush Signs Bill Banning Genetic Discrimination

President George Bush signed a bill Wednesday that bans companies from using genetic information to make insurance or job decisions.

Several member of Congress were present as the president signed the bill into law, and he remarked, "I

want to thank the members of Congress who've joined us as I sign the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, a piece of legislation which prohibits health insurers and employers from discriminating on the basis of genetic information. In other words, it protects our citizens from having genetic information misused, and this bill does so without undermining the basic premise of the insurance industry."

The measure will deter health insurance companies from using genetic information like a person’s predisposition for cancer or diabetes to make determinations on enrollment eligibility or in setting premiums.

Companies would also be prevented from using a person’s genetic information in decisions involving employment.

The measure comes as a relief to many physicians whose patients have refused genetic testing for fear of discrimination in their health insurance.

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