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How can genetic testing results lead to discrimination by employers or health-insurance companies?

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Marble portrait bust of Hippocrates atop a tall rectangular base inscribed with an epigram in Greek, displayed against a black background. — Bioethics A Roman bust of Hippocrates, copied from a Greek original, c. 3rd century bce; in the collection of the Antichità di Ostia, Italy.

Genetic testing results can lead to discrimination when employers or insurance companies use predictive information to make decisions that disadvantage individuals based on their genetic makeup. Ethically, it is imperative to protect individual privacy and prevent such discrimination, as using genetic data to deny employment or access to health or life insurance undermines fundamental principles of fairness and autonomy.12

In the workplace, employers might misuse presymptomatic testing data to avoid hiring or to terminate employees perceived as "high risk" for future health issues, even if those individuals are currently healthy. Similarly, insurance providers may use this information to deny coverage or increase premiums, viewing genetic predispositions as a financial liability rather than a personal health matter. While some jurisdictions have enacted laws to prohibit the use of genetic information for these purposes, other regions have permitted its use in an attempt to manage health-care costs. Protecting against such genetic discrimination remains a critical ethical challenge in the field of human genetics, as society strives to balance the benefits of medical advancement with the necessity of safeguarding human rights and diversity.123