The ELSI of Genetic Testing in the Workplace

这项提案的目的是开始预测、分析和解决在关键的非保健环境，即工作场所使用新的遗传信息和技术所产生的伦理、法律和社会影响。以对工人进行基因测试为形式的基因技术已经在工作场所使用，预计其使用将随着时间的推移而增长。最近引起监管机构注意的例子令人怀疑职业健康工作人员是否有能力以最能确保工人健康和安全并符合工人和社会最佳利益的方式充分处理这一问题。职业医学医生很可能直接参与制定和执行雇主关于在工作场所使用这种基因技术的政策，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使用这项技术的伦理、法律和社会影响是至关重要的。因此，在这个项目中，我们建议对职业医学医生进行调查，以确定他们在工作场所使用基因检测的程度，以及他们对此类检测的伦理、法律和社会影响的了解和关注程度。这项研究的结果将为后续提案中针对职业医学医生的适当教育干预措施的制定、实施和评估提供直接有用的信息。因此，这是预测、分析和解决因在工作场所扩大使用新兴基因技术而产生的潜在不利伦理、法律和社会影响的必要的第一步。

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.