House passes bill banning DNA bias

A measure that would make it illegal for employers and health insurance companies to use people’s DNA against them overwhelmingly passed the House yesterday, with supporters calling it a landmark anti-discrimination bill.

Supporters say it also will save lives because people are reluctant to get potentially lifesaving genetic testing for fear the results could lead them to lose their jobs or medical coverage.

“The sequencing of the human genetic code is one of the great scientific accomplishments in the history of the world,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat. “But with this scientific breakthrough comes a responsibility to protect Americans from the misuse of their genetic information.”

The legislation passed the House by a vote of 414-1. Rep. Ron Paul, Texas Republican, cast the lone dissenting vote. The bill, which passed the Senate last week by a vote of 95-0, now goes to the White House. President Bush has said he supports it.

The measure would prevent health insurers from canceling, denying, refusing to renew or changing the terms or premiums of coverage based solely on a genetic predisposition toward a specific disease.

It also bars employers from using individual’s genetic information when making hiring, firing, promotion and other employment-related decisions.

“Since no one is born with perfect genes, we are all potential victims of genetic discrimination,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, New York Democrat. “By prohibiting the improper use of genetic information, Americans will be encouraged to take advantage of the tremendous life altering potential of genetic research.”

Genetic testing can lead to early, lifesaving therapy for a wide range of diseases with hereditary links such as breast and prostate cancer, diabetes, heart disease and Parkinson’s disease.

Mrs. Slaughter first proposed the measure 13 years ago, when there were only a small number of genetic tests. But since the mapping of the human genome in 2003, people have access to far more information about their hereditary disposition to such medical problems.

Congressional efforts to set federal standards to protect people from genetic discrimination had been held up for years because of liability issues and other concerns. Earlier versions of the bill unanimously passed the Senate in 2005 and 2003, but neither was taken up by the House.

The legislation is supported by more than 500 organizations, medical groups, individuals and companies, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the National Education Association and the March of Dimes.

The legislation is opposed by some business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which said the bill’s language is too broad, doesn’t support many state laws and provides for excessive punitive damages.

“There have been improvements to the bill along the way, so it’s better than it was, but we’re disappointed that these other concerns were not addressed before the bill was approved,” said Michael Eastman, the chamber’s executive director for labor policy.