Medical insurers should not be able to assess individuals' risk of developing illness based on genetic tests, according to the Human Genetics Commission.

A spokesperson for the HGC expressed its strong support for a moratorium which aims to prevent insurers evaluating health risks based on genetics.

Agreed by the Association of British Insurers and the Genetics and Insurance Committee, the findings of the moratorium have been put to the government in an attempt to make its assertions legally binding for the industry.

However, the HGC spokesperson commented: "[The ABI has] several times suggested that maybe high-value policies should be exempted from it [which] is one of the things we are continuously monitoring."

Meanwhile, the Guardian reports that a fall in the number of people waiting more than six months for an operation has resulted in a decline both in health insurance and the public's choice of private healthcare.