Genetic Information Anti-Discrimination Bill Garners IBM's Support

IBM Corporation (IBM), a recognized technological pioneer and one of the world's largest employers, has spoken out in favour of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2007, HR 493. The Bill, which aims to prohibit discrimination on the basis of genetic information regarding health insurance and employment, was introduced in the US House of Representatives in January and was then referred to the Congressional Education and Labor Committee for review. Both insurers and employers fall within the scope of the Bill. Insurers are prohibited from exercising enrollment and premium discrimination based on a request for genetic services, from requiring genetic tests and from discriminating based on genetic information. Employers are prohibited from discriminating against or depriving an individual of an employment opportunity based on genetic information and from collecting and disclosing such information. Before a hearing of the Education and Labor Committee, IBM commented that it had implemented corporate policies against genetic discrimination in 2005 and that this addition of genetic discrimination to the company's prohibited grounds of discrimination was stimulated by the human genome project. The Bill has received strong bipartisan support but not all are happy with it. Previous versions before the House were subject to strong opposition lobbying from the US Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber cited the sufficiency of current legislation and the potential for frivolous lawsuits as the basis for its opposition. For the text of the Bill, go to: http://thomas.loc.gov/ and insert "HR 493" for the link to the Bill. For a commentary on IBM's support for the Bill, see: http://www.nytimes.com/cnet/CNET_2100-1028_3-6155073.html Summary by: Michael Migus