WASHINGTON, DC, February 8, 2000 -- Genetic variation among individuals, a universal fact of life with great potential for scientific and social advances, should never be used as a tool for discrimination, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) emphasized today.
The AAAS strongly supports policies designed to prevent discrimination against individuals based upon genetic testing results, such as a U.S. Executive Order, announced today, which would ensure employment protection for federal employees.
As explained November 1999 in a AAAS statement decrying genetic discrimination related to health insurance, knowledge provided by genetic tests could potentially alleviate human suffering by supporting new remedies for incurable and untreatable diseases.
But, "Such information should be used only to benefit human welfare," said Shirley Malcom, head of the AAAS Directorate for Education and Human Resources Programs, which described the Human Genome Project in a recent book, Your Genes, Your Choices.
AAAS Executive Officer Dr. Richard S. Nicholson echoed Malcom's comments: "Genetic information should be used to enhance, not undermine, the quality of life for individuals, and for society," he said. "We urge the adoption of policies to prevent misuse of genetic testing results."
A newly announced U.S. Executive Order would bar federal departments and agencies from hiring, firing, classifying or segregating persons based on genetic information. It would further prevent federal employers from requesting, collecting or purchasing protected genetic information, gleaned by analyzing an individual's DNA to detect disease-related geneotypes of mutations.
"Genetic discrimination that would impede access to employment or medical therapies, or discourage individuals from participating in critical scientific studies, is unacceptable," said Mark S. Frankel, director of the AAAS Scientific Freedom, Responsibility and Law Program.