Should you worry about genetic discrimination?

Sometimes, doctors may recommend to a patient to test for a specific gene for a particular disease that seems to be prevalent in that patient's family. For example, in hereditary breast cancer, two genes are commonly tested for breast cancer risk assessment. They are two tumor suppressor genes named "BRCA1" and "BRCA2" that are involved with DNA repair. Women with an altered BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 gene are up to eight times more likely to develop breast cancer than those without mutations in those genes. Fortunately, there are treatments that would significantly decrease this risk.

However, despite the potential medical benefits, many patients are worried that genetic testing can result in discrimination. Genetic discrimination is when one is treated unfairly because of differences in his/her DNA that increases the chance of getting a certain illness. Patients worry about their genetic information affecting their health insurance and/or their employment. Therefore, it is important to know some basic facts about the law:

1) Established federal laws: the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HIPAA keeps genetic information confidential, prohibits the exclusion of an individual from group coverage due to genetic predisposition, prohibits charging a higher premium, and establishes that a predictive genetic status is not a pre-existing condition.
2) New federal law: the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). This was signed into law by President Bush in May 21, 2008. GINA protects people from discrimination by health insurers and employers on the basis of DNA information. This law prohibits the use of an individual's genetic information on setting eligibility, premium or contribution amounts by group and individual health insurers, and forbids the health insurer from requesting or requiring an individual or family member to undergo a genetic test or requesting genetic information. Similarly, employers may not use genetic information to make decisions in hiring, firing, job assignments and promotions. However, it should be noted that GINA does not cover life insurance, disability insurance and long-term care insurance.
3) State governments also have specific legal protection against genetic discrimination. The degree of protection from these laws varies widely among the different states. Federal laws set a minimum standard of protection that must be met in all states. They do not weaken the additional protections provided by any state law.

Every one of us has several DNA differences that could increase or decrease the chance of getting a particular disease. It's important to remember that these DNA differences don't always mean someone will inevitably develop a disease, just that the risk to get that disease may be greater. As more genetic tests become available, and more preventive treatments discovered, these laws are extremely important to protect patients' rights and allow patients to have access to optimal medical care with less worry about genetic discrimination.

Should you worry about genetic discrimination?

Sometimes, doctors may recommend to a patient to test for a specific gene for a particular disease that seems to be prevalent in that patient's family. For example, in hereditary breast cancer, two genes are commonly tested for breast cancer risk assessment. They are two tumor suppressor genes named "BRCA1" and "BRCA2" that are involved with DNA repair. Women with an altered BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 gene are up to eight times more likely to develop breast cancer than those without mutations in those genes. Fortunately, there are treatments that would significantly decrease this risk.

However, despite the potential medical benefits, many patients are worried that genetic testing can result in discrimination. Genetic discrimination is when one is treated unfairly because of differences in his/her DNA that increases the chance of getting a certain illness. Patients worry about their genetic information affecting their health insurance and/or their employment. Therefore, it is important to know some basic facts about the law:

1) Established federal laws: the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HIPAA keeps genetic information confidential, prohibits the exclusion of an individual from group coverage due to genetic predisposition, prohibits charging a higher premium, and establishes that a predictive genetic status is not a pre-existing condition.
2) New federal law: the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). This was signed into law by President Bush in May 21, 2008. GINA protects people from discrimination by health insurers and employers on the basis of DNA information. This law prohibits the use of an individual's genetic information on setting eligibility, premium or contribution amounts by group and individual health insurers, and forbids the health insurer from requesting or requiring an individual or family member to undergo a genetic test or requesting genetic information. Similarly, employers may not use genetic information to make decisions in hiring, firing, job assignments and promotions. However, it should be noted that GINA does not cover life insurance, disability insurance and long-term care insurance.
3) State governments also have specific legal protection against genetic discrimination. The degree of protection from these laws varies widely among the different states. Federal laws set a minimum standard of protection that must be met in all states. They do not weaken the additional protections provided by any state law.

Every one of us has several DNA differences that could increase or decrease the chance of getting a particular disease. It's important to remember that these DNA differences don't always mean someone will inevitably develop a disease, just that the risk to get that disease may be greater. As more genetic tests become available, and more preventive treatments discovered, these laws are extremely important to protect patients' rights and allow patients to have access to optimal medical care with less worry about genetic discrimination.

Dr. Mai Brooks is a surgical oncologist/general surgeon, with expertise in early detection and prevention of cancer. More at www.drbrooksmd.com, thecancerexperience.wordpress.com and progressreportoncancer.wordpress.com.

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What you should look for in top quality Flat irons?

From the middle of 19 90's, super straight locks took over as the main style because of the rise of super model Kate Moss. Then along came Jennifer Aniston and the deal had been closed ? we all love straight locks!

Thank goodness for all curly haired women this straight look hasn't been lost to all of us thanks to ceramic flat irons. As time has passed on so has styles. These days Ceramic straightening ironscan create tight curls, beach waves, crimp, in addition toimprove up do?s.

But as hair straightening irons are now an essential element of our hair schedule, the question is just what should you choose when it comes to investing in a brand-new set?

High heat ? High temperature is critical when creating super straight and major curly hair. With out heat your look won?t hold and you'll find yourself raking the hair straighteners through your tresses several times triggering extra in your tresses.

Quick warm-up ? We?re all busy individuals and any pair of top flat irons must be able to heat up to their optimum temp in under a minute. Naturally none of us have enough time to wait before a superb night out!

Ceramic coated plates ? The texture of straightening plate?s help you move the irons thru your locks and so cause you locks much less damage. I also find these plates make the straightening process quickening, because they float efficiently through hair.

Rotating cable ? Meaning having the ability to move the straighteners in a circular curled action while not twisting the electrical lead. Essential if you don?t want land in a cable chaos!

Long lead ? The plug socket won?t always be alongside a mirror, thus a lengthier cord provides you with that added flexibility whenever you take your straighteners traveling, to a friends or on vacation.

Dual Voltage ? This can be difficult to find yet is very important for any transatlantic traveler. In the end you don?t want to do without your trusty hair straighteners any time to foreign countries on holiday.

An outstanding guarantee ? An outstanding producer should provide a good guarantee and they should take you hair straighteners back again whenever they stop working within a set period of time. Offering you peace of mind when parting with your hard earned dollars for a more expensive set.

Finally, always always always safeguard hair using a heat spray or even serum. Your hairdresser should have some good ones so request their recommendation to find one which will match your hair type.

You can pick-up a pair of the top hair straighteners for as little as ?20, however I'd suggest that a high class set of irons costs round the ?50-?75 mark.

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What should you look for in a meeting room

If you're a company based in the south and looking for ideal meeting rooms Slough is a great place to start. It's a central and easy-to-find city, great for when you've got to pull colleagues from all over the region.

But what should you look for when searching the meeting rooms on offer in the area? There are a few things you should consider before signing on the dotted line.

Firstly, you need to be able to visit the meeting rooms beforehand, or it should be a no go. Most companies should have absolutely no problem in arranging a visit before your meeting date. This will allow you to ascertain how smart and clean the spaces are, in addition to getting an idea of how professional the staff members are.

Secondly, whilst on your visit, ask if they can show you the specific room they've earmarked for you. This way, you'll know if it has the right facilities. Will you need plug sockets for your computers? Will you need AV equipment, video conferencing facilities or even a television? If so, make sure they have this to offer you and get confirmation of this in writing.

Furthermore, ask the provider if they'd be willing to serve tea, coffee and/or any other refreshments you'd like to supply for those attending the meeting. If it's an all-day meeting, it's worth asking if the room provider can include the provision and delivery of sandwiches, crisps etc. for a lunch time break. If they aren't willing to do this, research local caterers to see what types of deals you could get.

Next, think about the parking on offer at the meeting rooms' venue. It is inevitable that some attendees will come via car, and if they are forced to pay for nearby parking, they likely won't be too happy.

Another key factor to consider is location. For those who don't drive or do not have a car, public transport may be their only option. If the venue is located miles and miles away from any bus or train stations, then be prepared for an influx of expenses requests from attendees who've had to procure taxi services to get from A to B.

The Oriel is a world-class office business centre which offers superbly equipped serviced offices in Slough honed to suit today's business needs, including the latest IT and communications technology. The Oriel offers a wide range of meeting, training and conference rooms with full business support, communications, audio visual and catering services.

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