My Genome, My Self?

theodp writes "After baring his DNA for the world to see, Steven Pinker follows up in the NYT Magazine with his take on the coming era of consumer genetics. Pinker comes away less wide-eyed than Time Magazine about the current predictive ability of $399 genetic tests, but is convinced enough to opt out of learning whether he has a gene that increases the risk of Alzheimer's and believes that genetic-testing-for-the-masses may hasten the arrival of national health insurance ('piecemeal insurance is not viable in a world in which insurers can cherry-pick the most risk-free customers'). Pinker believes that personal genomics is just too much fun to ban, but for now suggests: 'if you want to know whether you are at risk for high cholesterol, have your cholesterol measured; if you want to know whether you are good at math, take a math test.'"

Comments

Isn't it, though?

[FooAtWFU]

The thing is, piecemeal insurance is the most viable in a world where insurers can cherry-pick the least risky (or most risky) individuals. Insurance, after all, is about mitigating risk, and a fuller knowledge of one's exposure to risk is a good thing.

The thing is, people don't really want health insurance, when you get down to it. Maybe they want a little. But what they really want is some sort of health plan, and often one that other people pay for.