Shopping for Life Insurance? That cute colorful harmless-looking little "at-home DNA test kit" can put your privacy —and your family— at risk.
If you absolutely must know whether or not you should trade in your lederhosen for a kilt— take the time to understand how your data could be used. Know what you are signing. And discuss this with your family, first: by agreeing to share your DNA, you are agreeing to share theirs as well! Protect yourself. Protect your loved ones. Read the fine print. Think before you spit! “That tiny sample can disclose the biological building blocks of what makes you you... The data can be very enlightening personally, but a major concern for consumers should be who else could have access to information about your heritage and your health.”
“If you apply for life insurance they do have a right to get all your medical records. And if you've had a genetic test taken, they do have a right to request it... You should only submit to a DNA test if they agree to destroy the sample.”
“Consumers need to think carefully about whether they want to take these tests... It will not impact their health insurance under current law, but it could impact their life insurance.”
“The world of easily accessible genetic testing is still very new. While your DNA doesn't change, the science behind it is evolving at a rapid pace. Today, using genetic testing in the life insurance application process isn't the norm, but that doesn't mean it won't be used 5, 10, 15 or 20 years from now.” RELATED READING
What is genetic discrimination?
ghr.nlm.nih.gov
4 Risks consumers need to know about DNA testing kit results and buying life insurance
www.cnbc.com
While Insightful Into Ancestry, Genetic Testing Could Have Serious Life Insurance Consequences
consumerwatchdog.org
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