Health Highlights: Nov. 23, 2009

Nov. 24 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

Law Offers Genetic Testing Protections

A new law that took effect Saturday protects Americans from being forced by employers or health insurers to undergo genetic testing.

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act prohibits employers from requesting genetic testing or using someone's genetic background when making decisions about hiring, firing or promotions, The New York Times reported.

In addition, health insurers and group plans can't require or use a customer's genetic information -- such as a family history of a certain disease -- to deny coverage or set premiums or deductibles.

The law also forbids the common group health plan practice of giving lower premiums or one-time payments to workers who provide their family medical histories when filling out health risk questionnaires.

"The message to employees is they should now be able to get whatever genetic counseling or testing they need and be less fearful about doing so," Peggy Mastroianni, associate legal counsel for the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, told The Times.

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Common Skin Germs May Protect Against Allergies

Being too clean can decrease the skin's ability to heal, says a U.S. study that may help explain why exposure to germs during childhood helps protect against the development of allergies -- the so-called hygiene hypothesis.

The University of California, San Diego researchers found that normal Staphylococci bacteria that live on the skin help prevent overactive immune responses that can cause cuts and scrapes to swell, BBC News reported.

"The exciting implication of the work is that it provides a molecular basis to understand the hygiene hypothesis and has uncovered elements of the wound repair response that were previously unknown," said research leader Professor Richard Gallo said. "This may help us devise new therapeutic approaches for inflammatory skin diseases."