GINA

DNA - 101
for Wiregrass Georgia
Surname & Regional DNA Projects

Genetic Genealogy
& Medical Insurance Concerns

Occasionally Family Tree DNA and the DNA Project Administrators receive a question as to whether the DNA tests offered by FTDNA (and the other genetic genealogy testing labs) could have implications for my medical insurance coverage now or in the future.

The answer is NO! The FTDNA genetic genealogy tests are different than the tests used by medical insurance companies, and the objectives of these tests are quite different than the objectives of the DNA testing for medical issues.

Genetic Genealogy testing does not produce testing results that reveal your medical conditions. However, there is a general reluctance by some people to use a genetic genealogy test to prove their genealogy (or help with their genealogical research), because of the fear that their test results will be leaked to or purchased by their medical insurance provider; resulting in their genetic information being used against them.

The genetic genealogy tests for Y-DNA and mtDNA involve the non coding regions of our DNA. Some call these segments - 'junk DNA'. No instructions from 'junk DNA are issued to the cells. However, the unique properties of 'junk DNA' in our Y-chromosome and in our mtDNA carry important genealogical information. No medical information is included in our 'junk DNA'.

In addition, the recent Federal Legislation known as GINA, eliminates any concern that our DNA test results could be used against us.

In case you have not been following the landmark piece of Federal Legislation that should eliminate the medical issue concerns for genealogy and for genealogists, here is the announcement concerning the signing of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) on May 21, 2008.

President George W. Bush signed into law today (May 21, 2008) the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). GINA is the first and only federal legislation that will provide protections against discrimination based on an individual's genetic information in health insurance coverage and employment settings.

"Today marks the beginning of a new era in health care," said Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY). "Americans can finally take advantage of the tremendous potential of genetic research without the fear that their own genetic information will be used against them."

Just a few weeks ago, GINA received overwhelming support in both the Senate, with a unanimous vote of approval, and the House of Representatives, where the legislation was passed by a landslide vote of 414-1.

The health insurance protections offered by GINA are expected to roll out 12 months after the bill is signed, whereas the employment protections will be fully realized in 18 months.

Specifically, the legislation protects against genetic discrimination by health insurers or employers by:

· Prohibiting group health plans and issuers offering coverage on the group or individual market from basing eligibility determinations or adjusting premiums or contributions on the basis of genetic information. They cannot request, require or purchase the results of genetic tests, or disclose genetic information.

· Prohibiting issuers of Medigap policies from adjusting pricing or conditioning eligibility on the basis of genetic information. They cannot request, require or purchase the results of genetic tests, or disclose genetic information.

· Prohibiting employers from firing, refusing to hire, or otherwise discriminating with respect to compensation, terms, conditions or privileges of employment. Employers may not request, require or purchase genetic information, and may not disclose genetic information. Similar provisions apply to employment agencies and labor organizations.

Genetic genealogy testing results are kept private, are carefully protected, and are never sold by the testing company, FTDNA, (the company used for the Wiregrass Georgia Surname and Regional DNA Projects managed by Robert B. Noles, now involving two dozen DNA projects with more than a thousand participants.

With GINA in place, no one needs to be concerned that even an inadvertent release of their genetic data can be used against them.

P.S. And remember, in case you have concerns about the use of your genetic genealogy test data by the legal justice system; that can't happen either. Your genetic genealogy test results do NOT identify you as a specific individual and are not available to law enforcement via the chain of custody requirements needed for the data to be used in court. Therefore, your genetic genealogy test results are of no value as criminal evidence.

In short, Genetic Genealogy tests have NO VALUE outside of genealogical research.