(a) The DNA molecule contains information about the probable medical future of an individual and the individual’s blood relatives. This information is written in a code that is rapidly being broken.

(b) Genetic information is uniquely private and personal information that generally should not be collected, retained or disclosed without the individual’s authorization.

(c) The improper collection, retention or disclosure of genetic information can lead to significant harm to an individual and the individual’s blood relatives, including stigmatization and discrimination in areas such as employment, education, health care and insurance.

(d) An analysis of an individual’s DNA provides information not only about the individual, but also about blood relatives of the individual, with the potential for impacting family privacy, including reproductive decisions.

(e) Current legal protections for medical information, tissue samples and DNA samples are inadequate to protect genetic privacy.

(f) Laws for the collection, storage and use of identifiable DNA samples and private genetic information obtained from those samples are needed both to protect individual and family privacy and to permit and encourage legitimate scientific and medical research.

(2) The purposes of the genetic privacy statutes are as follows:

(a) To define the rights of individuals whose genetic information is collected, retained or disclosed and the rights of the individuals’ blood relatives.

(b) To define the circumstances under which an individual may be subjected to genetic testing.

(c) To define the circumstances under which an individual’s genetic information may be collected, retained or disclosed.

(d) To protect against discrimination by an insurer or employer based upon an individual’s genetic characteristics.

(e) To define the circumstances under which a DNA sample or genetic information may be used for research. [Formerly 659.705; 2003 c.333 §2]

Note: See note under 192.531.