“Some of the parents just couldn’t get themselves to do it.”What if their child was later forced to disclose their genetic results to a potential employer, or to an insurance agency? Cohn is the pediatrician-in-chief for SickKids Hospital, and over the last few months, he’s been fielding new conversations with parents of young patients, who’ve previously sat down with him to discuss genetic testing. But after the Genetic Non-Discrimination Act, or Bill S-201, passed in March — ensuring no person can be required to undergo genetic testing or disclose previous results — many of those parents are re-appearing at Cohn’s door. Though SickKids hasn’t accumulated any hard data about genetic testing in the five months since the bill passed, Toronto’s University Health Network has been tracking its numbers for several years. Every year for the last five years, they’ve documented a 10 to 20 per cent increase in genetic testing.

Source: thestar August 09, 2017 21:11 UTC