(HealthDay News) — When it comes to genetic testing, Americans support more research, laws to protect against discrimination, and involving medical professionals in offering guidance, according to research published online Nov. 7 in Genetics in Medicine.
Rene Almeling, Ph.D., of Yale University in New Haven, Conn., and Shana Kushner Gadarian, Ph.D., of Syracuse University in New York, conducted a survey of a nationally representative sample of 2,100 American adults to assess public opinion on policy issues related to genetics and genomics.
The researchers found that most Americans (82 percent) consider the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 to be “important.” Respondents also showed strong support for clinician involvement in explaining genetic test results (65 percent) and more government funding for genetic research (57 percent). Gender and political party affiliation were significantly associated with policy views.
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“As clinicians and professional organizations attempt to persuade federal agencies that direct-to-consumer genetic testing should be more tightly regulated, it is essential to know that the public supports efforts to ensure that clinicians are involved in explaining genetic test results,” the authors write.
