Re: Parkinson's and herdity

[Joanna Porvin <jkporvin@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Everybody.

Two quick thoughts on revealing if PD is indeed hereditary:

1.  I am also concerned that insurance companies will use genetic testing
against patients as a type of pre-existing condition.  (Actually, I'm
even more concerned given the current congressional shake-up.

2.  However, if in fact PD is both hereditary and environmental, as some
folks suggest, then we who may be at higher risk should have as much
information as possible to make decisions about how/where we live our lives.
N'est-ce pas?

Joanna

On Tue, 15 Nov 1994, Frances Taira wrote:

> I attended a PD conference where the famous neurologist
> stated he would never tell if a link was found.He didn't want
> the kids to commit suicide. You can imagine what that did
> for the PD patients and kids audience. With an incurable
> disease what would you do anyway? A person could die of something else
> before developing it. There is no reassurance that kids won't
> get it. I guess I am wary of genetic labeling for insurance,
> promotion discrimination when the person may be wrongfully
> identified by inaccurate tests. ftaira@xxxxxxxxxx
>