The UK's Human Genetics Commission (HGC) launched a major consultation on the future use of genetic information, in a public meeting held at the Centre for Life in Newcastle today. The document, entitled 'Whose hands on your genes?', focuses on the nature of genetic information and its potential impact in areas such as insurance, employment, and the construction of medical and forensic databases. The consultation will end on 28 February 2001, and the results are due to be presented to health and science ministers next autumn.
The initial results of a new survey, also published today by the HGC, found that many people (71 per cent of those questioned) have little confidence that regulations are keeping pace with scientific developments. The HGC questioned 788 members of the People's Panel, a cross-section of the UK population recruited by the Cabinet Office. While most interviewees (90 per cent) thought that developments in human genetics would help cure diseases, over 70 per cent were against the use of genetic test results by employers and insurers.
Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Chair of the HGC said that the survey showed that 'people are worried that these developments might lead to discrimination or exploitation, and are sceptical of the law's ability to keep up with human genetics'. The survey also looked at attitudes to medical databases that include genetic information. When asked who would use such information responsibly, the most trusted were GPs (89 per cent) and the NHS (73 per cent). Amongst the least trusted were insurance companies (four per cent), employers (five per cent) and industrial scientists (five per cent, compared to 35 per cent for academic scientists).
Sources and References
-
Fears over genetic information
-
Poll reveals fears over advance of genetic science
-
HGC launches consultation on the future of genetic information
-
Whose hands on your genes?
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.