Drafting the Genetic Privacy Act: Science, Policy, and Practical Considerations

0 nly 27 percent of Americans in a 1995 Harris poll said they had read or heard “quite a lot” about genetic tests. Nonetheless, 68 percent said they would be either “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to undergo genetic testing even for diseases “for which there is presently no cure or treatment.” Perhaps most astonishing, 56 percent found it either “very” or “somewhat acceptable” to develop a government computerized DNA bank with samples taken from all newborns, and their names attached to the samples.’ This does not necessarily mean the public is unconcerned about genetic privacy. More likely it means that the public is still uninformed about the risks associated with genetic testing, and has not thought at all about the risks involved in storing identifiable DNA samples. A central question presented by genetic screening and testing is whether the genetic information so obtained is different in kind from other medical information (such as family history and cholesterol levels), and, if so, whether this means that it should receive special legal protection. Genetic information can be considered uniquely private or personal information, for at least three reasons: it can predict an individual’s likely medical future for a variety of conditions; it divulges personal information about one’s parents, siblings, and children; and it has historically been used to stigmatize and victimize individuals. The highly personal nature of the information contained in one’s DNA can be illustrated by thinking of DNA as containing an individual’s coded “future diary.”2 A diary is perhaps the most personal and private document an individual can create. It contains a person’s innermost thoughts and perceptions, and is usually hidden and locked to assure its secrecy. Diaries describe the past. The infor-