Privacy for Safety: The NCAA Sickle-Cell Trait Testing Policy and the Potential for Future Discrimination

AuthorHeather R. Quick
PositionJ.D. Candidate, The University of Iowa College of Law, 2012; B.A., Iowa State University, 2009
Pages665-691
665
Privacy for Safety: The NCAA Sickle-Cell
Trait Testing Policy and the Potential for
Future Discrimination
Heather R. Quick
ABSTRACT: Recent NCAA legislation requires incoming Division I
student–athletes to: (1) submit to testing for the sickle-cell trait, (2) provide
results of a previous test, or (3) waive out of testing and release the NCAA
from any potential future liability. However, the legislation does not provide
colleges and universities with guidance on the proper treatment of a
student’s genetic information. Furthermore, current federal laws do not
provide sufficient protection against unwanted and unnecessary
dissemination of this sensitive genetic information, especially considering
that many schools have student–athletes sign waivers allowing the release of
their medical information to the media. Public knowledge of this
information can lead to discrimination in the future, especially in the
employment context. The NCAA should either stop the testing program or
take further steps to protect a student–athlete’s privacy.
I. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 667
II. SICKLE-CELL TRAIT AND HOW TO TEST ................................................ 671
A. DEFINITION OF THE SICKLE-CELL TRAIT AND POTENTIAL
CONSEQUENCES OF THE TRAIT .......................................................... 671
B. TESTING PROCEDURES ...................................................................... 672
III. APPLICABLE STATUTES: HIPAA AND FERPA ......................................... 673
A. HIPAA AND THE PRIVACY RULE ....................................................... 673
1. Protected Health Information .............................................. 674
2. Covered Entities ..................................................................... 674
B. FERPA ............................................................................................ 675
C. HIPAA AND FERPA OVERLAP .......................................................... 676
D. SHORTCOMINGS OF HIPAA AND FERPA ........................................... 677
1. Exceptions That Allow Unauthorized Disclosures............... 677
J.D. Candidate, The University of Iowa College of Law, 2012; B.A., Iowa State
University, 2009.
666 IOWA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 97:665
2. Lack of Remedy To Provide a Deterrent Effect ................... 679
3. Neither Statute Prevents Schools from Asking for a
Media-Release Waiver ......................................................... 680
IV. INSUFFICIENT SAFEGUARDS AND INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION .............. 681
A. INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR A SCHOOL TO RELEASE A
STUDENT–ATHLETES GENETIC INFORMATION ................................... 681
B. DRAWBACKS OF RELEASING GENETIC INFORMATION ........................... 683
V. STOP TESTING OR REQUIRE MORE PROTECTIONS FOR STUDENT
ATHLETES .............................................................................................. 686
A. PROHIBIT TESTING AND SIMPLY CHANGE WORKOUT PROCEDURES
FOR ALL STUDENT–ATHLETES ........................................................... 687
B. REQUIREMENTS SIMILAR TO FERPA ARE NECESSARY TO PROTECT
THE PRIVACY OF STUDENT–ATHLETES, WITH PROTECTIONS
AGAINST RELEASE OF A STUDENT–ATHLETES MEDICAL
INFORMATION TO THE MEDIA ........................................................... 688
1. By NCAA Legislation .............................................................. 688
2. By Federal Statute .................................................................. 689
C. WAIVER POLICY IS NOT ENOUGH TO ENSURE THE PRIVACY AND
AUTONOMY OF STUDENT–ATHLETES ................................................. 690
VI. CONCLUSION ......................................................................................... 691

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