Australian Genomics is calling for new laws with a total ban on insurance companies using consumers’ genetic test results to underwrite life insurance policies.
And it wants attention paid to genetic discrimination’s impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People to avoid compounding inequities around their access to genomic healthcare and research.
The call comes in a joint submission by Australian Genomics and the Australian Alliance for Indigenous Genomics to the Federal Government’s review of the legal framework around the use of genetic testing for life insurance purposes. Submissions to the review close on January 31.
The submission says legislation must be introduced to protect consumers, remove the fear of genetic discrimination, and ensure government oversight of insurers’ compliance.
To ensure consumers’ confidence that their results are fully protected, the legislation should not contain any limits, caps, or exclusions.