Upcoming Mallesons seminarsThe Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (“ACCC”) has recently authorised a two year proposal by life insurers to not require applicants for life insurance to undergo genetic testing.
The two year period is to allow time for the issues concerning the testing to be debated and be formulated into government policy. The proposed agreement will prevent life insurers from requiring life insurance applicants from undergoing genetic testing and also from inducing such testing by offering discounts for favourable results. On 7 February 2001, the Attorney General and the Minister for Health and Aged Care released terms of reference for an inquiry into the uses of genetic information to be conducted jointly by the Australian Law Reform Commission and the Australian Health Ethics Committee of the National Health and Medical Research Council. The terms of reference for the inquiry are available at http://www.alrc.gov.au/current/genetic/terms.html. The report from this inquiry is expected to be released on 30 June 2002.