Genetic information can be life-saving in a medical emergency, yet it’s still rarely collected from adults — even when doctors are struggling to make a diagnosis. New research shows Americans need both greater access to genetic testing and stronger legal protections against genetic discrimination.

Some rare and devastating genetic disorders, such as Huntington’s disease or early-onset dementia, hide in our DNA like time bombs. But far more people carry mutations that can cause heart failure, seizures and ruptured blood vessels — dangerous outcomes that can be prevented if caught early. Testing for these conditions is getting faster, cheaper and more widely available every year.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Human Genetics concluded that a quarter of adults under 40

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