GENETIC TESTING: Balancing Benefits and Abuses.

• Author: LEBAU, STEVE

GENETIC TESTING has the potential to become an extraordinary weapon in the fight against disease. One of the most exciting areas of scientific research today is the identification of the genetic markers of disease through the collection and analysis of an individual's DNA. Science is on the road to identifying which diseases an individual is predisposed to, and then, by recommending certain lifestyle changes or repairing or replacing the genes responsible, help that person avoid potential illness. However, wherever there is great potential, there also is great potential for misuse.

It is thought that five to 10% of employers are making use of genetic testing results. How might employers and employees find such testing useful? One way would be to identify those workers who, because of their genetic makeup, are the most susceptible to health risks posed by certain chemicals or radiation in the workplace environment. Once identified, they could be placed in work areas that have the least exposure to these elements.

What if, as a result of that testing, the employer decides to use this information in a very different way? An employer might decide not to hire those individuals in the first place. Genetic testing in the workplace can be used to screen out many different kinds of people for any number of reasons. It can be key in supporting a bias that has nothing to do with the requirements of the job.

Say two women are being considered for the same position, and each meet all the basic requirements for the job. The first candidate has qualities that make her somewhat more desirable, but, when the results from their genetic testing is factored into the equation, the second candidate is the one hired. The first woman, it turns out, carries a genetic marker that shows her to have a greater risk of contracting breast cancer in the future. The potential for higher insurance premiums and more sick days needed by her might make the other woman a more cost-effective choice for the company.

These kinds of decisions can be extended to include entire races of people. It has been documented that Ashkenazi Jewish women, whose roots go back to Eastern Europe, have a higher incidence of breast cancer than almost any other single group of females. One can see the potential for discrimination here. The great majority of Jews in the northeastern pan of the U.S. are Ashkenazi. An employer could make the decision, either consciously or unconsciously, not to...