WASHINGTON, D.C. — While Americans are generally very supportive of the use of genetic information to improve their own health and the health of their families, 92 percent are wary that this same information could be used in ways that harm them, according to a public opinion survey by the Genetics and Public Policy Center conducted in late February and early March of this year. Moreover, three in four Americans support legislation that would prevent health insurers or employers from having access to their genetic information, or from making decisions about employment or insurability based on genetic test results.
These results appear in a white paper, "U.S. Public Opinion on Uses of Genetic Information and Genetic Discrimination," released today by the Center in the expectation of imminent House action on H.R. 493, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. Additional information from the survey of 1,199 adults can be found in the full white paper below.