Scientists are developing a cheaper, quicker genetic testing system that gives results in half an hour. A person would be able to find out about their health and genetic profile, by simply providing a saliva sample.

Geneticists called for caution in the use of genetic tests, warning mass screening for inherited diseases could cause more harm than good. ``Genetic tests could have great benefits in the early detection of disease tendencies, but there are detrimental effects too,\'\' said Dr. Segolene Ayme of The European Society of Human Genetics (ESHG).

The author argues that attempting to map the human genome uniquely creates adverse risks from genetic screening because it will identify diseases for which there is no cure.

Critics argue that allowing genetic testing will create a genetic underclass as insurance companies select out genetically undesirable people.

Fears that genetic testing will create a new underclass of uninsurable people are unfounded, according to an expert in the field.