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... ¡¨
¡V Vincent Freeman, Gattaca
Introduction
The recent rapid advances in genetic analysis and manipulation techniques have made it possible to identify and isolate specific genes involved with particular human diseases. Genetic testing is used to discover variation in genetic material and may help in diagnosis by establishing a cause of symptoms or of a disorder. ...
With the advancement of scientific and biologic advances come new questions about ethics concerning genetic information. A different type of discrimination is emerging due to the increasing use of genetic testing for the purpose of exposing the presence of any abnormal or defective genes. This new phenomenon is called genetic discrimination.
What is Genetic Discrimination?
Genetic discrimination describes the differential treatment of individuals or their relatives based on their actual or presumed genetic differences as distinguished from discrimination based on having symptoms of a genetic-based disease (Geller, et al, 1996).
Genetic discrimination is aimed at people who appear healthy or whose symptoms are so mild that their functioning and health are not affected.
As technology continues to improve and testing becomes more readily accessible, the issue of how society protects those with genetic conditions will become more important. ... As technology develops methods to determine genetic codes, consideration must be given as to whether employers should be able to consider genetic predisposition when making employment decisions and, if not, what laws should be in place to prevent them from doing so.
Why is Concern About Genetic Discrimination Increasing? ... Genetic technologies, such as simple DNA tests, increasingly are becoming available to identify people who might have an increased likelihood of developing a disorder. The majority of diseases North Americans encounter, however, do not result solely from genetic predisposition but from the interaction of genes with environmental factors, including occupation, diet, and lifestyle. Consequently, genetic tests alone cannot predict with certainty whether a person with a particular genetic error will in fact develop a disease (Nelson-Anderson & Waters, 1995). Where effective means of early detection and treatment have been established, knowledge of genetic alterations can help a person prevent or reduce the likelihood of illness, and in some instances actually reduce health care costs.
There is evidence supporting that genetic discrimination is real and on the rise. In a 1996 study published in Science, fifteen percent of individuals at risk of developing a genetic condition said that they had been asked questions about genetic diseases on job applications. Thirteen percent of the respondents reported that they or another family member had been denied a job or fired from a job because of a genetic condition in the family (www. ...
Confidentiality of genetic test results is a major concern for the public. A 1997 study by the National Centre for Genome Resources found that sixty-three percent of people would not take genetic tests if employers could access the results (www. ... 6 percent of companies who responded were using genetic testing for employment purposes. In a similar survey conducted by the American Management Association in 1997, 6-10 percent of employers were found to be conducting genetic testing (www. ... Among the Fortune 500, twelve companies report using genetic screening for employment purposes (www. ...
In the context of employment, potential uses of genetic test results might be to provide information about: a condition or a predisposition to a condition which might lead to raised levels of absence for sickness; a condition which could put the employee or others at risk in the work place; heightened sensitivity of an individual to features of a particular work environment; susceptibility of illness or disease in regards to employer provided health insurance (www. ...
There is concern that fear of genetic discrimination may keep those at risk for developing hereditary diseases away from genetic testing that can ¡V in some cases ¡V save their lives (www. ... In a survey of nearly 300 active cancer genetic counselors, the vast majority said they would pursue genetic testing for BRCA (breast cancer gene) or HNPCC (hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer gene) mutation if one parent or sibling was a known carrier of the mutation. However, 68 percent said they would not bill genetic testing charges to their health insurance company, and 26 percent would use an alias.
Approximate Word count = 3477
Approximate Pages = 13.9
(250 words per page double spaced)
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