Launis V
University of Turku, Department of Practical Philosophy, FIN-20014 Turku, Finland.
Sci Eng Ethics. 2000 Jul;6(3):299-310. doi: 10.1007/s11948-000-0033-z.
In the bioethical literature, discrimination in insurance on the basis of genetic risk factors detected by genetic testing has been defended and opposed on various ethical grounds. One important argument in favour of the practice is offered by those who believe that it is not possible to distinguish between genetic and non-genetic information, at least not for practical policy purposes such as insurance decision-making. According to the argument from indistinguishability, the use of genetic test information for insurance purposes should be permitted, because genetic test information is no different from non-genetic medical information in any relevant respect, therefore it would be inconsistent to prohibit the former whilst permitting the latter. This paper discusses and defends this argument and suggests a new, more tenable foundation.
在生物伦理文献中，基于基因检测所发现的遗传风险因素进行保险歧视，在各种伦理基础上都受到了辩护和反对。那些认为至少在诸如保险决策等实际政策目的方面，无法区分基因信息和非基因信息的人，提出了一个支持这种做法的重要论据。根据不可区分性论点，应该允许将基因检测信息用于保险目的，因为基因检测信息在任何相关方面都与非基因医学信息没有区别，因此禁止前者而允许后者是不一致的。本文讨论并捍卫了这一论点，并提出了一个新的、更站得住脚的基础。
