Submission on Treasury Consultation Paper - Use of Genetic Testing in Life Insurance Underwriting

New developments in genetic and genomic testing have the capacity to rapidly transform healthcare in Australia, potentially providing more cost-effective treatments and improving patient outcomes. Protecting equitable and discrimination-free access to genomic testing for all Australians is paramount. The AMA’s submission to Treasury on the use of genetic testing in life insurance underwriting raises concerns that the fear of genetic discrimination by the insurance industry deters many at-risk people from having potentially life-saving genetic testing. The AMA’s submission strongly advocates for a total ban on the use of adverse genetic test results by the life insurance industry, without financial limits or exclusion, to ensure that people can confidently undertake genetic testing or participate in genomic research without fear of genetic discrimination.