Genetic test warning for insurers
Insurance companies have been told not to use genetic test results, increasingly used by people to check for inherited diseases, to hike premiums.
A House of Lords committee wants to see the European Union place tougher regulations on the industry, including a voluntary code of conduct that would ensure insurance companies do not use the test results for their own gains.
The Lords` science and technology committee led an inquiry into the tests which found that claims about identifying an individual’s risk of developing diseases were rarely “substantiated by scientific evidence".
The committee warned that insurance companies could get hold of the results and use them to increase premiums, or even refuse cover altogether.
The inquiry was chaired by Lord Patel, who added: “We have concerns about the growth of 'at home' direct-to-consumer tests.
“Without proper qualified interpretation, results of genetic and genomic tests could cause people to worry unnecessarily and place new demands on NHS services. It is time firms offering these tests were required to provide counselling and guidance on interpreting the raw results they provide.”
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