News Section | Health
Public very supportive of DNA use
The U.S. public has high trust in genetics for establishing paternity, testing for diseases and gene therapy, a survey finds.
Ninety-three percent of U.S. adults feel that genetic science is a good thing, while 1 percent feel it is a bad thing, according to a Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive Healthcare Poll of 3,091 U.S. adults.
Ninety-three percent of the survey respondents favored using DNA to identify criminals in rape, murder and other crimes; 92 supported its use in establishing paternity; 91 percent in preventing and treating diseases; 88 percent in genetic testing; 87 percent in genetic therapy to treat people with a disease, and 72 percent to screen potential parents for inherited diseases or genetic weaknesses.
However, most did not want DNA used when it comes to jobs or insurance coverage. Eight-one percent did not want DNA used to help decide whether to employ somebody, 80 percent did not want to use DNA to help life insurance companies determine who to insure or how much to charge, and 80 percent did not want genetics to help health insurance companies determine those things.
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