A ban on the use of genetic tests by insurance companies for at least the next two years is needed to prevent the creation of a "genetic underclass" of people unable to obtain insurance, a cross party committee of Members of Parliament (MPs) has concluded.

The British House of Commons Science and Technology Committee says more research is needed to establish the impact of allowing insurance companies to use genetic test results when calculating premiums. If they are allowed to do so, some people may be deterred from finding out whether they are at risk of developing a disease and miss out on early treatment. Others may become uninsurable because of their genetic make up.

The Genetics and Insurance Committee, set up in 1999 by the U.K. Department of Health to evaluate the scientific and actuarial relevance of genetic tests by the insurance industry, has approved only one genetic test (for Huntington's chorea) for use in calculating premiums, yet many insurance companies also ask for test results for early onset Alzheimer's disease and hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, even though there is doubt as to how relevant or reliable these are.

Insurers believe, along with the Association of British Insurers, that not including test results in their calculations would be too costly. However, some companies do not ask for test results or only take account of negative test results.

Genetics and Insurance[---]5th Report Commons Science and Technology Committee (HC174) is available at www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmsctech.htm

As printed in the VHL Family Forum 9:2, June 2001. For permission to reprint, please contact VHL Family Alliance, editor@vhl.org. Further information is available from the VHL Family Alliance, info@vhl.org.