Japanese insurers' attitudes toward adverse selection and genetic discrimination: a questionnaire survey and interviews with employees about using genetic test results.

Since the 1990s, insurance has been the primary field focused on the social disadvantages of using genetic test results because of the concerns related to adverse selection. Although life insurance is popular in Japan, Japan does not currently have any regulations on the use of genetic information and insurers have largely kept silent for decades. To reveal insurers' attitudes on the topic, we conducted an anonymous questionnaire survey with 100 insurance company employees and recruited nine interviewees from the survey respondents. We found that genetic discrimination is not generally considered as a topic of human rights. We also found that insurers have uncertain fears and concerns about adverse selection in terms of actuarial fairness but not regarding profits. When it comes to preparing guidelines on the use of genetic information by Japanese insurers, we believe that public dialog and consultation are necessary to gain understanding of the people.

A genetic profile of oxytocin receptor improves moral acceptability of outcome-maximizing harm in male insurance brokers.

In recent years, conflicting findings have been reported in the scientific literature about the influence of dopaminergic, serotonergic and oxytocinergic gene variants on moral behavior. Here, we utilized a moral judgment paradigm to test the potential effects on moral choices of three polymorphisms of the Oxytocin receptor (OXTR): rs53576, rs2268498 and rs1042770. We analyzed the influence of each single polymorphism and of genetic profiles obtained by different combinations of their genotypes in a sample of male insurance brokers (n = 129), as compared to control males (n = 109). Insurance brokers resulted significantly more oriented to maximize outcomes than control males, thus they expressed more than controls the utilitarian attitude phenotype. When analyzed individually, none of the selected variants influenced the responses to moral dilemmas. In contrast, a composite genetic profile that potentially increases OXTR activity was associated with higher moral acceptability in brokers. We hypothesize that this genetic profile promotes outcome-maximizing behavior in brokers by focusing their attention on what represents a greater good, that is, saving the highest number of people, even though at the cost of sacrificing one individual. Our data suggest that investigations in a sample that most expresses the phenotype of interest, combined with the analysis of composite genetic profiles rather than individual variants, represent a promising strategy to find out weak genetic influences on complex phenotypes, such as moral behavior.

Conflictos de intereses en medicina. Recomendaciones del CETREMI.

Conflicts of interest are situations in which judgment and integrity of medical decisions or actions are influenced by a secondary interest, often of an economic nature. The Committee of Ethics and Transparency in the Physician-Industry Relationship of the National Academy of Medicine of Mexico recognizes that these conflicts occur in health professionals' daily life, but also in public and private institutions that provide health services, as well as in the academy and in research activities. Therefore, it is necessary to identify conflicting situations and always act in accordance with the patient's interest.

Los conflictos de interés son situaciones en las que el juicio y la integridad de las decisiones o acciones médicas son influidas por un interés secundario, frecuentemente de tipo económico. El Comité de Ética y Transparencia en la Relación Médico-­Industria de la Academia Nacional de Medicina de México reconoce que estos conflictos ocurren en la vida diaria de los profesionales de la salud, pero también en las instituciones de servicios de salud públicas y privadas, así como en la academia y en la investigación. Por ello, es necesario identificar situaciones de conflicto y actuar siempre de acuerdo con el interés del paciente.

Stay fit or get bit - ethical issues in sharing health data with insurers' apps.

In the framework of digital health, mobile applications with health-related content are increasing in number and importance. Many of these apps are targeted at the general public and, although they differ in features and purposes, their functions are often based on the promotion of health and the monitoring of customers’ lifestyle data. Apps of this type have also recently been developed by health insurance companies. In many cases, insurers’ apps do not simply offer health-related recommendations to the users, but also provide economic incentives to those customers who agree to share their behavioural data through the applications. Although such apps may contribute to the adoption of a health-conscious lifestyle, the fact that they require the sharing of dense individual data with the companies responsible for insurance coverage raises some relevant ethical issues. This paper investigates the phenomenon of insurers’ apps permitting customers to share their data in exchange for monetary rewards currently available in Switzerland. After describing the features and functioning of the apps, we present some ethically relevant aspects related to their use. More specifically, we discuss the issues of transparency of data-sharing purposes, potential discrimination amongst insured people, “quantification” of the users and, finally, the potential tension generated between solidarity and responsibility. We conclude by emphasising that these apps are becoming a new paradigm for insurers in many countries and that a thorough assessment of their ethical and societal implications is required.  .

How to regulate medical tourism (and why it matters for bioethics).

A growing literature examines descriptive and normative questions about medical tourism such as: How does it operate? What are its effects? Are home country patients or their governments failing in moral duties by engaging in or permitting medical tourism? By contrast, much less has been written on the regulatory dimension: What might be done about medical tourism if we were convinced that it posed ethical issues and were motivated to act? I shall argue that this kind of regulatory analysis is essential for bioethical analysis of medical tourism. This article focuses on these regulatory questions more directly, evaluating available methods, restrictions, costs, and benefits of home and destination country unilateral regulatory moves. This article also discusses more briefly multilateral treaty and private sector responses.

Reassessing insurers' access to genetic information: genetic privacy, ignorance, and injustice.

Many countries have imposed strict regulations on the genetic information to which insurers have access. Commentators have warned against the emerging body of legislation for different reasons. This paper demonstrates that, when confronted with the argument that genetic information should be available to insurers for health insurance underwriting purposes, one should avoid appeals to rights of genetic privacy and genetic ignorance. The principle of equality of opportunity may nevertheless warrant restrictions. A choice-based account of this principle implies that it is unfair to hold people responsible for the consequences of the genetic lottery, since we have no choice in selecting our genotype or the expression of it. However appealing, this view does not take us all the way to an adequate justification of inaccessibility of genetic information. A contractarian account, suggesting that health is a condition of opportunity and that healthcare is an essential good, seems more promising. I conclude that if or when predictive medical tests (such as genetic tests) are developed with significant actuarial value, individuals have less reason to accept as fair institutions that limit access to healthcare on the grounds of risk status. Given the assumption that a division of risk pools in accordance with a rough estimate of people's level of (genetic) risk will occur, fairness and justice favour universal health insurance based on solidarity.

Meeting report: Fifth International Conference on Ethical Issues in Biomedical Engineering.

Ethical issues in biomedical engineering is a crucial topic that must be addressed. In the spring of 2009, attendees from various professions attended a conference regarding ethical issues at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University. Abstracts representing distinct aspects of the engineering and biotechnology fields and associated ethical concerns were presented. The event featured a debate that engaged participants and panel members in intriguing ethical discussions, and concluded with a social banquet.

A genética e os seguros: correlação e analogia ao estudo do genoma humano: [revisão] / Genetics and insurance companies: correlationship and analogy with human genome studies: [revision]

O mapeamento genético possibilitou a detecção de alterações que provocam o aparecimento de certas doenças, mesmo antes do aparecimento dos sintomas, e a otimização das terapêuticas de algumas patologias e prevenção de doenças multifatoriais. Com os avanços na tecnologia genética, aumentaram também as discussões sobre o fato de que as seguradoras podem usar os testes genéticos para o estabelecimento de taxas. Também existe a possibilidade das seguradoras conduzirem seus próprios testes ou questionar o consumidor sobre a sua história genética. Isso representa um possível conflito entre interesses do consumidor e das seguradoras. Casos de discriminação genética têm sido documentados em muitos países e, conseqüentemente, leis têm sido criadas no sentido de se frear o uso abusivo das informações do mapeamento genético pelas seguradoras. No entanto, no Brasil, esse assunto tem sido pouco discutido pelas autoridades e desconhecido pela maioria da população. Dessa forma, já que a saúde é um direito de todos, uma informação genética não deveria influenciar no pagamento e na disponibilidade de emprego e de assistência médica. Aexigência do conhecimento do conteúdo genético de um cidadão, por uma seguradora, é de ordem discriminatória, invade a privacidade, além de contrariar os princípios éticos.

The genetic mapping enabled some detections of changes that trigger some diseases, even before the symptoms appear. Moreover, it provided therapeutics optimization and prevention of some multifactorialdiseases. The advances of genetic technology also increased discussions about the fact that insurance companies can use the genetic tests to establish their fees. They may also provide their own tests or ask the clients their own genetic history. This represents a possible conflict between the client’s interest and the insurance company. Cases of genetics discrimination has been registered in several countries. Consequently, laws that reduce information on the genetic mapping have been launched. However, in Brazil, this issue hasbeen little discussed by official government, and it is also unknown by most of the population. Thus, since health is a right of all citizens, some genetic information should not influence the fee payment, the job availability and medical care. The right to know the citizens´genetic content by an insurance company canbe considered discrimination, invading their privacy, moreover, going against the ethical principles.