GINA and the "Axis of Evil"?

Although the status of S. 358, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), has not changed, [Senator Tom Coburn (Rep., Oklahoma) continues to block the bill], its place in legislative limbo still draws the attention of editors and bloggers. Earlier this month Nature reminded readers of the struggle to unblock the bill and provocatively named Coburn a "rogue senator". Coburn's expressed opposition to GINA evolves, but his strongest argument may be that he wants to protect insurers and employers from (as Nature writes) "an avalanche of frivolous litigation". Several states, however, have passed similar legislation and have not encountered the predicted avalanche in the civil courts. Many writers, including the editors of Nature, worry that Coburn's opposition to the bill is slowing the progress of personalized medicine. In response, therefore, the Nature editorial implicitly calls for the genetic research community to lobby on behalf of the bill. The editors note that "scientists should tell" Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to break Coburn's hold. Reid could bring the bill to a vote by allowing 30 hours of Senate debate on the topic. However, as the Senate has many bills to address, Reid is unlikely to find 30 hours for GINA.

Among other responses, a post in a widely read political blog, Daily Kos, picked up the story and (like many observers in the United States) quickly assumed the worst of the health insurance industry: "actuaries across the coverage denial sector are salivating at the prospect of putting your genetic information to work for their bosses". Is the insurance industry really that pernicious? Yes, they make money by gambling on the health of individuals … and sometimes they refuse to take a bet, but are they (with Coburn) really worthy of Bush's "axis of evil" rhetoric. Although I have to admit that I wouldn't volunteer my genetic information (assuming that I had it) to potential insurance providers, do we really know that insurance companies are eager to access our genetic information? Don't they already have good predictors and other data to use when assessing the odds of gambling on our health? (Smoking comes to mind.) In the immediate future, I wouldn't be surprised if the consumer genomics market will result in an increase in purchases of insurance policy upgrades. Given that the "predictive" value of genomic testing is very far from absolute, isn't it possible that many will overact to their new found "risks" and subsequently go impulse-shopping for more insurance? Perhaps the insurance companies would use genetic information to market more aggressive and supplemental coverage … would this be unjust "discrimination"? - J.O.