The ELSI of Genetic Testing in the Workplace

本提案的目的是开始预测、分析和解决在关键的非卫生保健环境，即工作场所使用新的遗传信息和技术所产生的伦理、法律的和社会影响。对工人进行基因检测的基因技术已经在工作场所得到使用，预计其使用将随着时间的推移而增加。最近引起监管部门注意的一些例子使人怀疑职业健康工作人员是否有能力以最佳方式处理这一问题，以确保工人的健康和安全，并符合工人和社会的最佳利益。职业医学医生很可能直接参与制定和执行关于在工作场所使用这种基因技术的雇主政策，以及解释和控制由此产生的信息。因此，了解职业医学医生如何使用这项技术，并确保他们充分了解其使用的伦理，法律的和社会影响是至关重要的。因此，在这个项目中，我们建议调查职业医学医生，以确定他们在工作场所使用基因检测的程度和他们的知识水平和关注的道德，法律的和社会影响，这样的测试。这项研究的结果将提供信息，将有直接的效用，在开发，实施和评估适当的教育干预措施，针对职业医学医生在随后的建议。因此，这是必要的第一步，以预测、分析和处理在工作场所扩大使用新兴遗传技术可能产生的不利道德、法律的和社会影响。

The objective of this proposal is to begin to anticipate, analyze and address the ethical, legal and social implications of the use of new genetic information and technologies in a critical non-health care setting, namely the workplace. Genetic technology in the form of genetic testing of workers is already being used in the workplace, and its use can be expected to grow over time. Recent examples that have come to regulatory attention have cast doubt on the ability of the occupational health work force to adequately deal with this issue in ways that best insure worker health and safety and are in the best interests of the workers and society. It is likely that occupational medicine physicians are directly involved in the development and implementation of employer policies regarding the use of such genetic technology in the workplace, as well as the interpretation and control of the resulting information. Therefore, it is critical to understand how occupational medicine physicians are employing this technology and to ensure that they are well-informed of the ethical, legal and social implications of its use. Thus, in this project, we propose to survey occupational medicine physicians to determine the extent of their use of genetic testing in the workplace and their level of knowledge and concern regarding the ethical, legal and social implications of such testing. The results of this study will provide information that will have direct utility in the development, implementation and evaluation of appropriate educational interventions targeting occupational medicine physicians in subsequent proposals. This is therefore a necessary first step in anticipating, analyzing and addressing the potentially adverse ethical, legal and social effects arising from the expanded uses of emerging genetic technologies in the workplace.