Cystic Fibrosis
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act is a written federal law that secures an individual from genetic discrimination in health insurance and employment (Steck & Eggert, 2011). The law protects families and patients with cystic fibrosis from insight regarding their genetic disorder. Such patients get affected by their cells, which produces mucus, sweat, and digestive juices (Terry, 2018). In this case, there different ways in which GINA helps to create an understanding of the patient’s rights.
The GINA enables a cystic fibrosis patient and families to protect the health information of the individuals when acquiring insurance cover (Steck & Eggert, 2011). The law prevents health insurers from denying health insurance coverage to families with genetic disorders, in this case, cystic fibrosis (Rothstein, 2018). The federal law safeguards the patients from the discrimination act of insurance renunciation due to the individual’s background.
The federal law also helps to prevent the insurers from insisting or demanding for a genetic test to patients. In this case, the code helps to secure the privacy of the patients and the rights to safeguard their personal information (Steck & Eggert, 2011). Also, families can keep their genetic information for themselves and have a right not to take part in any tests asked by the insurer (Rothstein, 2018). In this case, any discrimination act done to patients is prevented from setting a conducive atmosphere for individuals to seek healthcare services and aid.
The GINA further allows researchers to take a study on the genetic disorder under conditions and limited actions, which may lead to the discrimination act (Steck & Eggert, 2011). The patient is allowed to cooperate with the healthcare givers to provide testable things such as blood. In other cases, federal law does not prohibit medical underwritten based on the patient’s current health (Terry, 2018). It also does restrict the healthcare professional requesting that an individual in a family or patient undergo a genetic test.
Reference
Steck, M. B., & Eggert, J. A. (2011). The need to be aware and beware of the genetic information nondiscrimination act. Clinical journal of oncology nursing, 15(3), E34-E41.
Rothstein, M. A. (2018). GINA at ten and the future of genetic nondiscrimination law. Hastings Center Report, 48(3), 5-7.
Terry, N. (2018). Unpacking Safety and Civil Rights Regulation of Genetic Data. Jotwell: J. Things We Like, 1.