Ever see the movie Gattaca? One of my favorites. In the movie, the main character cannot realize his dream to become an astronaut, becuase his genes are sub-par. An op-ed in the Seattle Times discusses the issue, and brings to light a case where a company has already begun researching a genetic correlation with job-related injuries:
A couple of years ago, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway tested the genes of injured workers, without their permission, to try to detect a genetic predisposition to carpal tunnel syndrome. The railway, apparently, was looking for a way to avoid workman’s compensation claims by using an unproven genetic test. Only media coverage and action by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission stifled those threats.
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