Genetic Discrimination Cases On The Rise

Moments after birth, the exact time and cause of death of every human being is determined through a genetic test. Those with a high likelihood of a disease or a learning disorder, or a lower life expectancy, are then resigned to a menial job.

This is the world of "Gattaca," a 1997 film set in the not-too-distant future. Indeed, this future was not-too-distant for Congress to pass, 414 to 1, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act in 2008, which prohibits employers or health insurance companies from discriminating against individuals on the basis of their genetic makeup. The lone dissenter was Ron Paul.