Good Grief - stick to genealogy please JumpinBeej@aol.com wrote: > > Date: Sat, 24 Jun 2000 00:55:41 EDT > From: REDSKI9136@aol.com > Subject: PRO and CONS > > President to bar genetic discrimination > February 8, 2000 > Web posted at: 7:50 a.m. EST (1250 GMT) > > WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Clinton is expected to sign an executive order > on Tuesday prohibiting the federal government from using genetic test results > in any decision to hire, fire or promote its employees. The order, to take > effect immediately, is a response to fears that advances in medical research > could be abused by employers. > > MESSAGE BOARD > Politics of health care > > > > > It covers nearly 2 million civilian federal employees, but does not apply to > the private sector. > > The president is due to announce his decision during a speech at the American > Association for the Advancement of Science. > > Private sector, too? > Clinton's order echoes a bill pending in Congress sponsored by Sens. Tom > Daschle, D-South Dakota, and Edward Kennedy, D-Massachusetts. > > > The measure would prohibit private sector employers from refusing to hire > people at risk for health problems and insurers from refusing to sell them > coverage. > > In addition to the order, Clinton was expected to voice his support for the > Daschle-Kennedy legislation, which would extend assurances against abuse of > genetic information to the general public -- a step that would require > congressional action. > > A federal measure enacted in 1996 -- the Kennedy-Kassebaum Law -- already > outlaws genetic discrimination in group health insurance plans. > > Clinton wary of abuses > Advances in genetic testing soon will allow doctors to predict the medical > futures of their patients. That has raised concerns that such information > could be used against those who are likely to suffer from cancer, diabetes, > heart disease or other ailments. > > Clinton has followed the Human Genome Project, which will map all of the > genes in the human body. For years he has been speaking out on the potential > abuse of genetic information. > > In his 1998 State of the Union speech, Clinton declared that "we must see > that science serves humanity, not the other way around." > > "We must prevent the misuse of genetic tests to discriminate against any > American," he said. > > The order Clinton was signing would restrict federal agencies' abilities to > collect or use genetic information, including family medical histories. > > Exceptions to such data collection would be allowed in cases in which workers > give written consent as part of a health care program monitoring their > medical conditions. > > Another exception would be granted for gathering information to study > workplace safety. > > White House Correspondent Chris Black and The Associated Press contributed to > this report. > > Bright Star