Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Genome Med. 2009 Jan 20;1(1):6. doi: 10.1186/gm6.
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) was recently enacted in the United States. Its supporters have applauded the passage of GINA, and they hope that it will alleviate public fear about genetic discrimination and facilitate genetic testing and participation in genetic research. Critics worry that GINA does not provide adequate protection because it fails to address discrimination on the basis of non-genetic health-related information, and it only regulates the use of genetic information in health insurance and employment. Despite these limitations, GINA represents a major step forward in US policy. Additional research is needed to assess the impact of GINA on industry practice and public opinion. In the mean time, education about GINA and its limitations can help individuals make more informed decisions about genetic testing and participation in genetic research.
2008 年美国颁布了《遗传信息非歧视法案》(GINA)。该法案的支持者称赞其通过,并希望它能缓解公众对基因歧视的担忧,促进基因检测和参与基因研究。批评者则担心 GINA 提供的保护不够充分,因为它没有解决非遗传健康相关信息基础上的歧视问题,而且仅规范了在健康保险和就业中使用基因信息。尽管存在这些局限性,GINA 仍是美国政策的重大进步。还需要进一步的研究来评估 GINA 对行业实践和公众意见的影响。在此期间,对 GINA 及其局限性的教育可以帮助个人更明智地做出关于基因检测和参与基因研究的决策。