FEAR among the general public that information about their genes will be used against them by insurance companies is preventing the 鈥済enetics revolution鈥� from reaching its full potential, according to a committee of MPs.
In a report published this week, the Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology calls on insurers to find a way to dispel the public鈥檚 fears over testing or risk having a solution imposed on them. It also recommends the creation of a new watchdog, the Human Genetics Commission, to safeguard the public鈥檚 interest.
At present, anyone who has a genetic test is obliged to disclose the result when applying for life or health insurance. The Association of British Insurers is worried that if such information is withheld, insurance companies will be open to abuse by people who know they are likely to develop serious disorders.
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But as things stand, people are faced with the dilemma of whether or not to be tested. If they test positive for a disease, they could find themselves uninsurable. As a result, people are choosing not to be tested 鈥� a decision that may not only damage their health but also hold up research, say the MPs.
They want the ABI to be given a 12-month deadline to enter discussions with geneticists to find a solution that suits the industry and removes the public鈥檚 dilemma. If the association does not come up with a solution, the committee says that one should be imposed through legislation.
According to Bryan Sykes of the Institute of Molecular Medicine in Oxford, who served as specialist adviser to the MPs, the insurance industry has been 鈥渟itting on the fence鈥� for too long. 鈥淭his gives them plenty of time to come up with something,鈥� he says.
In the long-term, the MPs want the Human Genetics Commission to keep the insurance industry under close scrutiny. It would have regulatory powers to prevent genetic information from being misused. 鈥淲e need something with real teeth,鈥� says Anne Campbell, a Labour member of the committee.