genomeboy.com

I was watching Heroes on DVD last night, the episode where Matt Parkman’s wife freaks out when–ack!–a geneticist calls. I laughed.

I shouldn’t have.

Anyone wondering why personal genomics companies have sprung up like weeds in the last six months need look no further than page one of this morning’s New York Times. Amy Harmon has done her usual stellar job of zeroing in on the zeitgeist: people are afraid of what The Man is going to do to them on account of their genomes. And given what’s gone on in no less venerable an institution than the US military, maybe they should be afraid:

“I always warn them,” said Dr. Stephen Moll, director of the Thrombophilia Program at the University of North Carolina, who uses a genetic test to determine the best treatment for patients with blood clots. “Especially if they are self-employed, I don’t want it to be a surprise if their health insurance premium goes up.”

I would like to believe that actual cases of genetic discrimination are as rare as the rarest Mendelian syndrome. But it may not matter: if people are acting out of fear, then they are acting in ways that can jeopardize their health. It would be funny if it weren’t so heartbreaking:

Treatment for hemochromatosis typically involves removing a unit of blood twice-weekly by phlebotomy. But that would mean disclosing the condition to a doctor, so Mary is planning on becoming a frequent blood donor.

“First do no harm,” anyone? How about you, Dr. No?