Question

We are increasingly able to use genetics in healthcare. The day is rapidly approaching where doctors and scientists will be able to use genetics to cure diseases that were once incurable (Some examples: diabetes, sickle cell, cancers, and many others). While this field is promising and will undoubtedly provide many benefits, there will also be many ethical questions society will have to answer as this progress is made.

One day, you will likely have your genome sequenced as part of your routine health care. This will provide your doctor with much information about your health and risk factors for a variety of diseases and health problems. Knowing this, do you think it is fair for health insurance companies to charge people different premiums based on their genetic risk? Why or why not?

Answer 1

No.
The genome sequence data must be kept confidential.
It must not be made available to the public/insurance companies.
Just like any other personal belonging, the DNA sequence is also private information.

Providing that information to others will lead to great mis-happenings.
For example, take an adult-onset disease.
If the kid and his friends know that he is going to be affected in his adulthood, it will create an unhealthy environment around him.
If insurance companies get this information, they will charge more premium for them which is unethical.