3 ms·
I believe it is central to progress in health care in the U.S. that discrimination on the basis of human genetic composition (including resident microfauna/micr
by pasbesoin 10y ago
I believe it is central to progress in health care in the U.S. that discrimination on the basis of human genetic composition (including resident microfauna/microflora) be fundamentally outlawed, with personally attachable criminal liability for breaching said law.
We could be learning a lot from population studies, but said population needs to be assured that participation -- willing or otherwise -- will not result in a personal negative outcome. Such as being denied insurance, employment, credit (yes, you bet financial institutions will use such data if they can), etc.
Those would be the real "death lists". Unlike the fear-mongering we've seen to date about e.g. end-of-life discussions. (Having just spent time and caregiving with an old friend going through their own end-of-life experience, I feel fairly confident in saying that most people would prefer to have those conversations and an understanding with family and friends as to what they do and don't want. This person was suffering at the end and basically pleading with her deity to take her and end that suffering. We made her as comfortable as possible; nonetheless, she didn't want that condition to continue -- e.g. through exceptional medical intervention -- longer than necessary.)
If you want my genetic make-up, guarantee me it is not going to be used against me in terms of equal participation in society. I didn't "choose" it, and I'm doing the best I can to work with and take care of what I have. Help me do that, instead, on an equal footing with my fellow citizens.
Note that I am not saying, 'Guarantee me equal outcomes.' I am saying guarantee me equal access to participation, including and especially in health care.
Also, don't pattern-match me against every piece of crime evidence, when such testing has repeatedly been shown to have limits to its accuracy and the courts shown to have no understanding nor accommodation for such inaccuracies nor the very real limits of the technology and attendant crime scene and evidence management.