Genetic Testing: Scientific Background for Policymakers

Publication Date: January 2007

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Health

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Abstract:

In the 109th Congress, several pieces of legislation were introduced that related to genetic and genomic technology and testing, including the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2005 (S. 306/H.R. 1227), the Genomics and Personalized Medicine Act of 2006 (S. 3822) and the Prenatally Diagnosed Condition Awareness Act (S. 609). Although none of these bills passed, they signal the growing importance of the public policy issues surrounding the clinical and public health implications of new genetic technology. As genetic technologies proliferate and are increasingly used to guide clinical treatment, these public policy issues are likely to continue to garner considerable attention. Understanding the basic scientific concepts underlying genetics and genetic testing may help facilitate the development of more effective public policy in this area.

Most diseases have a genetic component. Some diseases such as Huntington's Disease are caused by a specific gene. Other diseases, such as heart disease and cancer, are caused by a complex combination of genetic and environmental factors. For this reason, the public health burden of genetic disease is substantial, as is its clinical significance. Experts note that society has recently entered a transition period in which specific genetic knowledge is becoming critical to the delivery of effective health care for everyone. Therefore, the value of and role for genetic testing in clinical medicine is likely to increase significantly in the future.