IEEE-USA-Supported Genetic Information
Nondiscrimination Act Signed into Law

WASHINGTON (30 May 2008) — Legislation that IEEE-USA has long supported protecting people from discrimination in employment and health insurance based on genetic information was recently signed into law.

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) passed the House, 414-1, and the Senate, 95-0. President Bush signed the bill on 21 May. IEEE-USA President Dr. Russell Lefevre expressed his appreciation in a letter (www.ieeeusa.org/policy/policy/2008/052108b.pdf) to one of the bill's key sponsors, Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.).

"The overwhelming bipartisan support for this historic legislation is indicative of the commitment by you and other congressional leaders toward ensuring our nation's future in a rapidly changing world," Lefevre wrote.

GINA prevents health insurance companies from changing, canceling or denying coverage based solely on a person's genetic predisposition to a specific disease or disorder.

Advances in genetic testing have made possible early detection of a wide range of diseases with hereditary links, including diabetes, Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular disease and various forms of cancer. Yet, people have increasingly been reluctant to undergo these potentially life-saving tests for fear that the information could be used against them.

GINA also prevents employers from basing hiring, firing and promotion decisions on genetic information. They are also forbidden from requesting, requiring or disclosing such information. Employment agencies and labor organizations are bound by similar provisions.

Bush said the law "protects our citizens from having genetic information misused, and … does so without undermining the basic premise of the insurance industry." See www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/05/20080521-7.html. IEEE-USA has advocated nondiscrimination in the use of genetic information for more than a decade. The organization is a member of the Coalition for Genetic Fairness, which was founded in 2000 "to address the growing concern surrounding the misuse of genetic information in insurance and employment decisions."

For more on the coalition, see www.geneticfairness.org.

IEEE-USA advances the public good and promotes the careers and public policy interests of more than 215,000 engineers, scientists and allied professionals who are U.S. members of the IEEE. IEEE-USA is part of the IEEE, the world's largest technical professional society with 375,000 members in 160 countries. See www.ieeeusa.org.

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Contact:

Chris McManes
IEEE-USA Public Relations Manager
Phone: + 1 202 530 8356
E-mail: c.mcmanes@ieee.org