Resource: Genetic Testing & Insurance

Genetic Testing and Insurance

Human Genetic Commission (HGC) has recently had extensive discussions on genetic testing and insurance and on 1 May 2001 issued a policy statement and recommendations. This followed the publication of a report on Genetics and Insurance by the House of Commons Select Committee on Science & Technology in March 2001

HGC links of interest:

HGC comments to inform Government response to the House of Commons report on Genetics and Insurance June 2001

HGC statement on genetic testing and insurance May 2001

HGC's information gathering day on genetic testing and insurance 9 February 2001

Discussions around genetic testing and insurance at HGC meetings:

Extraordinary HGC meeting 1 May 2001

Working Group meeting 17 April 2001

HGC plenary meeting 2 March 2001

HGC informal business meeting 28 November 2000

You may also want to read these more recent documents:

Huntington's Disease An Insurance Model 2004 PDF 28 pages. Epidemiology of HD, fitting models to [a] rate of onset, depending on CAG repeath lenght as well as age; [b] to post-onset rates of mortality; and [c] to the distibution of CAG repeat lengths in the population.

HD Critical Illiness Insurance and Life Insurance 2004 PDF 24 pages. Using above, the critical illness and life insurance markets were studied. Caculates premiums based on genetic test results that disclose the CAG repeat length, or more simply a family history of HD. Complexities suggest that restrictions on disclosure, rather than use, of genetic information.