Top 10 science stories of 2008 -- #7: equal opportunity genetics

December 26, 2:21 PMScience News ExaminerMeg Marquardt

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Credit: Michigan Technology and Research Institue.

In celebration of the approaching New Year, I present a list of the top ten science stories of 2008.  Taken from the vast expanse of all fields of science, they may not be everyone's top ten, but they are among the top news makers and will have repercussions well past the ending days of 2008.

Remember the movie Gattaca?  For those of you who don't, the basic premise is as follows: In the not-too-distant future, children are genetically engineered to ensure they grow to be powerful and prosperous.  Those children who are brought about in the "old-fashioned way" and thus are genetically inferior cannot hope to succeed in life for they are discriminated against by society and employers alike.  It is a terrific science fiction movie from the late nineties – but one that is very quickly becoming more like science and less like fiction.

But no fear my fellow old-fashioned humans.  A law passed this spring ensures we cannot be discriminated against because our flawed genetics.  The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) prohibits both employers and health insurance companies from denying jobs and coverage based on what is written in a person's DNA.  This is an important step in medical law for a number of reasons, but perhaps most importantly for the impact it will have on the treatment and prevention of diseases that are spotted in genetic screens.

A wise professor once said, "DNA isn't destiny--it's history."  That is to say, DNA isn't a psychic tool doctors can use to predict precisely what sort of medical life a person will have.  There are genes that are known to cause diseases like Huntington's, but for the most part DNA is simply an indicator.  There are genes that may show a person is more likely to develop cancer or diabetes, but not that he absolutely will.  But by getting screened, preventative measures can be taken to stop a disease before it even has a chance to develop, and GINA ensures that this information cannot be used against a person.  This will hopefully increase the number of people getting genetic screens that may save their lives without fear of repercussion in world of health insurance and careers.  A monumental law indeed.

Check out the rest of the list here.