Jeremy Gruber

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Jeremy Gruber is a lawyer, writer, and public policy advocate and is the senior vice president at Open Primaries. [1] [2] He is the former President and Executive Director of the Council for Responsible Genetics. [3] He has testified before the United States Congress on genetic privacy and discrimination issues. He was a leader of the successful effort to enact the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act as well as a number of state laws that preceded it [4] and led the successful campaign to roll back a controversial student genetic testing program at the University of California, Berkeley. [5] In 2011, Gruber led an effort to successfully enact CalGINA-a California law that extends genetic privacy and nondiscrimination protections into areas such as life, long term care, and disability insurance, mortgages, elections and other areas. [6]

Gruber is a founder and executive committee member of the Coalition for Genetic Fairness and the Pew Project on the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). [7] He is an author of the books Genetic Explanations: Sense and Nonsense published by Harvard University Press, [8] Biotechnology in Our Lives published by Skyhorse Publishing, [9] and The GMO Deception by Skyhorse Publishing. [10] He is author of the reports The Myth of the Red State Policy Over Party in the Nebraska State Capitol [11] and The Next Great Migration: The Rise of Independent Voters in America. [12] He is also an author of the law review article Let All Voters Vote: Independents and the Expansion of Voting Rights in the United States. [13]

Gruber received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from St. John's University School of Law School of Law and a B.A. in Politics from Brandeis University. Previously, he worked as the field director for ACLU's National Taskforce on Civil Liberties in the Workplace and then as legal director for the National Workrights Institute. [14] [15]

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Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genetic testing</span> Medical test

Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is used to identify changes in DNA sequence or chromosome structure. Genetic testing can also include measuring the results of genetic changes, such as RNA analysis as an output of gene expression, or through biochemical analysis to measure specific protein output. In a medical setting, genetic testing can be used to diagnose or rule out suspected genetic disorders, predict risks for specific conditions, or gain information that can be used to customize medical treatments based on an individual's genetic makeup. Genetic testing can also be used to determine biological relatives, such as a child's biological parentage through DNA paternity testing, or be used to broadly predict an individual's ancestry. Genetic testing of plants and animals can be used for similar reasons as in humans, to gain information used for selective breeding, or for efforts to boost genetic diversity in endangered populations.

A genetic predisposition is a genetic characteristic which influences the possible phenotypic development of an individual organism within a species or population under the influence of environmental conditions. In medicine, genetic susceptibility to a disease refers to a genetic predisposition to a health problem, which may eventually be triggered by particular environmental or lifestyle factors, such as tobacco smoking or diet. Genetic testing is able to identify individuals who are genetically predisposed to certain diseases.

The Council for Responsible Genetics (CRG) was a nonprofit NGO with a focus on biotechnology.

Genetic discrimination occurs when people treat others differently because they have or are perceived to have a gene mutation(s) that causes or increases the risk of an inherited disorder. It may also refer to any and all discrimination based on the genotype of a person rather than their individual merits, including that related to race, although the latter would be more appropriately included under racial discrimination. Some legal scholars have argued for a more precise and broader definition of genetic discrimination: "Genetic discrimination should be defined as when an individual is subjected to negative treatment, not as a result of the individual's physical manifestation of disease or disability, but solely because of the individual's genetic composition." Genetic Discrimination is considered to have its foundations in genetic determinism and genetic essentialism, and is based on the concept of genism, i.e. distinctive human characteristics and capacities are determined by genes.

The Center for Genetics and Society (CGS) is a non-profit information and public affairs organization based in Berkeley, California, United States. It encourages the responsible use and regulation of new human genetic and reproductive technologies. CGS provides analysis and educational materials and organizes conferences, workshops, and briefings. This organization tends to particularly criticize proposals concerning reproductive human cloning and germline genetic modification—both uses of technology colloquially considered 'socially irresponsible.'

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act</span>

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, is an Act of Congress in the United States designed to prohibit some types of genetic discrimination. The act bars the use of genetic information in health insurance and employment: it prohibits group health plans and health insurers from denying coverage to a healthy individual or charging that person higher premiums based solely on a genetic predisposition to developing a disease in the future, and it bars employers from using individuals' genetic information when making hiring, firing, job placement, or promotion decisions. Senator Ted Kennedy called it the "first major new civil rights bill of the new century." The Act contains amendments to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heather Steans</span> American politician

Heather Adeline Steans is a former Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 7th district. She was appointed after winning a special primary election that followed the mid-term resignation of her predecessor, Senator Carol Ronen. She resigned from office on January 19, 2021 after 12 years in office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Entine</span> American science writer and consultant (born 1952)

Jon Entine is an American science journalist. After working as a network news writer and producer for NBC News and ABC News, Entine moved into print journalism. Entine has written seven books and is a contributing columnist to newspapers and magazines. He is the founder and executive director of the science advocacy group the Genetic Literacy Project, and a former visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. He is also the founder of the consulting company ESG Mediametrics.

Sheldon Krimsky was a professor of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at Tufts University, and adjunct professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at Tufts University School of Medicine. He was a fellow of the Hastings Center, an independent bioethics research institution.

Religious views on genetically modified foods have been mixed, although as yet, no genetically modified foods have been designated as unacceptable by religious authorities.

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The Non-GMO Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focusing on genetically modified organisms. The organization began as an initiative of independent natural foods retailers in the U.S. and Canada, with the stated aim to label products produced in compliance with their Non-GMO Project Standard, which aims to prevent genetically modified foodstuffs from being present in retail food products. The organization is headquartered in Bellingham, Washington. The Non-GMO label began use in 2012 with Numi Organic Tea products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regulation of genetic engineering</span>

The regulation of genetic engineering varies widely by country. Countries such as the United States, Canada, Lebanon and Egypt use substantial equivalence as the starting point when assessing safety, while many countries such as those in the European Union, Brazil and China authorize GMO cultivation on a case-by-case basis. Many countries allow the import of GM food with authorization, but either do not allow its cultivation or have provisions for cultivation, but no GM products are yet produced. Most countries that do not allow for GMO cultivation do permit research. Most (85%) of the world's GMO crops are grown in the Americas. One of the key issues concerning regulators is whether GM products should be labeled. Labeling of GMO products in the marketplace is required in 64 countries. Labeling can be mandatory up to a threshold GM content level or voluntary. A study investigating voluntary labeling in South Africa found that 31% of products labeled as GMO-free had a GM content above 1.0%. In Canada and the USA labeling of GM food is voluntary, while in Europe all food or feed which contains greater than 0.9% of approved GMOs must be labelled.

Genetic testing is the analysis of human genes, proteins, and certain metabolites, in order to detect inherited disease-related propensities. These tests can predict the risk of disease in adults, as well as establish prenatal and infant prognoses. The benefits can be substantial, but so can the risks. The possible adverse consequences of genetic tests include discrimination in employment and health insurance and breaches of privacy. Government policies are therefore needed to assure the proper use of genetic tests. The first piece of federal legislation came into effect in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeffrey M. Smith</span>

Jeffrey M. Smith is an American consumer activist, self-published author, and former politician. He is the author of two books on genetically engineered foods, Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You’re Eating, and Genetic Roulette: The Gamble of Our Lives, which he made into a film in 2012. He has appeared twice on each of the shows -The Dr. Oz Show and The Doctors. Smith has worked with organic food marketers and alternative health product promoters to advocate against genetically modified food. Supporters identify Smith as an influential educator on the alleged risks associated with genetically modified foods, while others point out Smith's lack of formal scientific training. In 1998, Smith ran unsuccessfully for Congress as a candidate for the Natural Law Party. As of 2021, Smith is the executive director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, and executive director of the global campaign Protect Nature Now.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 California Proposition 37</span> Rejected GMO law

Proposition 37 was a California ballot measure rejected in California at the statewide election on November 6, 2012. This initiative statute would have required labeling of genetically engineered food, with some exceptions. It would have disallowed the practice of labeling genetically engineered food with the word "natural." This proposition was one of the main concerns by the organizers of the March Against Monsanto in May 2013.

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The March Against Monsanto was an international grassroots movement and protest against Monsanto, a producer of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbicide. The movement was founded by Tami Canal in response to the failure of California Proposition 37, a ballot initiative which would have required labeling food products made from GMOs. Advocates support mandatory labeling laws for food made from GMOs.

GMO Answers is a front group launched by the agricultural biotechnology industry in July 2013 to participate in public debate around genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in crops in the U.S. food supply.

Genetic privacy involves the concept of personal privacy concerning the storing, repurposing, provision to third parties, and displaying of information pertaining to one's genetic information. This concept also encompasses privacy regarding the ability to identify specific individuals by their genetic sequence, and the potential to gain information on specific characteristics about that person via portions of their genetic information, such as their propensity for specific diseases or their immediate or distant ancestry.

Genetic engineering in North America is any genetic engineering activities in North America

References

  1. Staff, "Open Primaries". Accessed August 2, 2015.
  2. Peterson, Kristina (28 March 2016). "Effort in South Dakota Aims to Drop Parties". Wall Street Journal.
  3. Staff, "Council for Responsible Genetics" Archived 2009-06-19 at the Wayback Machine . Accessed June 2, 2009.
  4. "Gene Watch Page". Archived from the original on 2011-10-07. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
  5. "UC Berkeley Backs off Gene-Test Program for Students". Bloomberg.com. 12 August 2010.
  6. http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/sen/sb_0551-0600/sb_559_bill_20110906_chaptered.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  7. "Coalition for Genetic Fairness".
  8. "Genetic Explanations — Sheldon Krimsky, Jeremy Gruber".
  9. "Biotechnology in Our Lives, What Modern Genetics Can Tell You about Assisted Reproduction, Human Behavior, and Personali". Archived from the original on 2014-03-28. Retrieved 2013-06-26.
  10. "The GMO Deception, What You Need to Know about the Food, Corporations, and Government Agencies Putting Our Families and". Archived from the original on 2014-11-05. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  11. https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/openprimaries/pages/544/attachments/original/1443559603/Nebraska9.29.15.compressed.pdf?1443559603 [ bare URL PDF ]
  12. "2020 Independents Report – Open Primaries Education Fund" . Retrieved 2020-11-22.
  13. Gruber, Jeremy; Hardy, Michael; Kresky, Harry (2019-01-01). "Let All Voters Vote: Independents and the Expansion of Voting Rights in the United States". Touro Law Review. 35 (2). ISSN   8756-7326.
  14. "NWI Executive Profile". Archived from the original on 2009-03-10. Retrieved 2009-06-04.
  15. Glasner, Joanna (9 December 2005). "Worker Privacy: You Have None". Wired.