Do you own you?

[bellisarius]

Maybe not. A friend notified me about this little news item. It seems that 23andMe is selling your DNA to the highest bidder, Big Pharma. And there's not a lot you can do about it now. Micheal Crichton's corpse is muttering "I told you so" from the grave.

 

[SpeareChucker]

Well, since I already know who I am, I've never felt that burning desire to know what I am.



I honestly thought this was going to be about that which divides us as a nation; those who are individuals and those who are a member of a tribe.

 

[thehaircutgirl]

Maybe not. A friend notified me about this little news item. It seems that 23andMe is selling your DNA to the highest bidder, Big Pharma. And there's not a lot you can do about it now. Micheal Crichton's corpse is muttering "I told you so" from the grave.

this isn't surprising at all. no one with a half a brain would consider using this service.

 

[beew]

I'm intrigued by this topic.

When I did my AncestryDNA test, I signed an agreement to give up ownership of any leftover DNA sample.
Then I read about all these concerns around the fact that they might be using people's DNA.
So what? I thought.

I still can't figure out what the big deal is, or what potential dangers or ethical issues might be in that.

 

[Pookie]

Yes, you do own you ... unless you, unwittingly or not, give yourself away.

http://m.startribune.com/dna-testing-americans-sign-away-their-rights/479020833/


Want to know where your ancestors hail from? Or which diseases run in your family? Dozens of genetic testing firms are happy to tell you.

But they’re less eager to divulge a different secret — how they share or sell your DNA samples. Testing companies write dense, confusing privacy policies that make it easy for consumers to unwittingly sign away the rights to their own genetic data.

Genetic data sharing entails serious risks. Privacy policies ought to clearly spell them out so that consumers can make educated choices.

The language used by testing firms such as Invitae, 23andMe and AncestryDNA can mislead customers. For example, AncestryDNA’s terms and conditions state that “You own your Personal Information, Additional User Information, and User Provided Content.”

But it also states that by handing over your data, “you grant Ancestry a sublicensable, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, store, copy, publish, distribute, provide access to, create derivative works of, and otherwise use such User Provided Content.”

 

[_Milky_Whites_]

And what are they going to do with my DNA? They certainly aren't going to create another me. Mine was ran through because of a terrible genetic disorder that I have, a mutation that has spread through my family. So, I'm certainly not a candidate for a clone.

Sadly, this is a risk when you do this type of genetic workup. Its in the super fine print. But, no one reads that. They just keep clicking Next and OK.

 

[ChinoMoreno]

man that shit is freaky, lol

 

[Pookie]

And what are they going to do with my DNA? They certainly aren't going to create another me. Mine was ran through because of a terrible genetic disorder that I have, a mutation that has spread through my family. So, I'm certainly not a candidate for a clone.

Sadly, this is a risk when you do this type of genetic workup. Its in the super fine print. But, no one reads that. They just keep clicking Next and OK.

From my link above....

That’s troubling. Unlike passwords, DNA can’t be canceled or changed. With biometric IDs looming, all it takes is one data breach to leave a person — and his family — vulnerable to fraud or discrimination.

 

[bellisarius]

From my link above....

That’s troubling. Unlike passwords, DNA can’t be canceled or changed. With biometric IDs looming, all it takes is one data breach to leave a person — and his family — vulnerable to fraud or discrimination.

Add to that the fact that if said companies find some unique DNA pattern they can patent it. Not unlike genetically bred lab rats, mice, Chinese hamsters, or crops. That company now owns that which defines you as uniquely you.

 

[JohnnySavage]

It's Henrietta Lacks all over again!

My DNA is in databases all over the world. I accepted that I lost my anonymity long ago.


As a side discussion though - why would anyone get their DNA tested? If you have some genetic disease that is revealed from the test, what are you to do with that information? I know some people are interested in their heritage; but that's just a bunch of nonsense to me. I don't particularly care where I came from (although I do happen to be one of God's chosen people), only where I'm going.

 

[about_average]

"Alerted"? It's old news.

I haven't looked, since I've never used any DNA testing places, but I would be surprised if there's not something in the agreements few people ever read.

 

[Pookie]

Identical siblings have a unique problem. Pun intended?

 

[Rightguide]

Maybe not. A friend notified me about this little news item. It seems that 23andMe is selling your DNA to the highest bidder, Big Pharma. And there's not a lot you can do about it now. Micheal Crichton's corpse is muttering "I told you so" from the grave.

I've always felt these DNA researching firms and plans are all about creating a massive DNA database for big government. It may be interesting to research your roots but be advised, you're turning it over to entities who may have ulterior motives.

 

[justlikebob]

I do own me, got the receipt and everything.

 

[Colonel Hogan]

It's Henrietta Lacks all over again!

My DNA is in databases all over the world. I accepted that I lost my anonymity long ago.


As a side discussion though - why would anyone get their DNA tested? If you have some genetic disease that is revealed from the test, what are you to do with that information? I know some people are interested in their heritage; but that's just a bunch of nonsense to me. I don't particularly care where I came from (although I do happen to be one of God's chosen people), only where I'm going.

Can you test for that?

 

[beew]

I've always felt these DNA researching firms and plans are all about creating a massive DNA database for big government. It may be interesting to research your roots but be advised, you're turning it over to entities who may have ulterior motives.

I still don't understand, but I'm also intrigued.
What potential dangers could be in that?

 

[ryan8558]

Could eventually affect your ability to get insurance.

 

[beew]

"Alerted"? It's old news.

I haven't looked, since I've never used any DNA testing places, but I would be surprised if there's not something in the agreements few people ever read.

I'm sure that, with Genetic research being so advanced nowadays and cloning and Gene therapy probably being in the cards for the future,
selling DNA to Medical Research centers must be a lucrative businness.

Personally, it wouldn't bother me if Pharma and AncestryDNA made a profit out of my DNA. It would even make me feel good about myself, to know that I contributed without putting any effort. Neither would the idea of a half human, half pig chimera with my DNA in it bother me.

What would worry me would be: if people's DNA was sold to insurance companies or hiring firms who will then discriminate against them, based on inferences drawn from that data.

 

[beew]

Could eventually affect your ability to get insurance.

Indeed.
That's horrible, and pretty "in a nutshell" kind of where our society is.

 

[RobDownSouth]

It's Henrietta Lacks all over again!

My DNA is in databases all over the world. I accepted that I lost my anonymity long ago.


As a side discussion though - why would anyone get their DNA tested? If you have some genetic disease that is revealed from the test, what are you to do with that information? I know some people are interested in their heritage; but that's just a bunch of nonsense to me. I don't particularly care where I came from (although I do happen to be one of God's chosen people), only where I'm going.

Until very recently, you needed one of those DNA tests to show your Aryan bloodline when you wanted to join the Klan. AJ and Miles were two posters here who were rejected for lack of sufficient heritage (Native American and Hebrew "pollution", respectively). I don't know if Query got a waiver for his 33% Pakistani heritage.

AJ had better hope they never identify the "gay gene" since his DNA is on file....if the Republicans get a fillibuster-proof majority in the Senate he's in for quite a bit of Government-mandated "gay conversion therapy"

 

[_Milky_Whites_]

It's Henrietta Lacks all over again!

My DNA is in databases all over the world. I accepted that I lost my anonymity long ago.


As a side discussion though - why would anyone get their DNA tested? If you have some genetic disease that is revealed from the test, what are you to do with that information? I know some people are interested in their heritage; but that's just a bunch of nonsense to me. I don't particularly care where I came from (although I do happen to be one of God's chosen people), only where I'm going.

If you have a genetic disease, sometimes its best to know. While you can't cure it, obviously, you can begin treating the issues that pop up in the correct way once you have a name for them. And, your offspring have a warning. Then they can learn about it, if they have it, make decisions about whether or not they want to have children, weight the risks vs. benefit.

 

[Rightguide]

I still don't understand, but I'm also intrigued.
What potential dangers could be in that?

For instance in an interview with John Walsh President Obama thought it was "the right thing to do" to add to the database the DNA of all arrestees. This includes those who are arrested but never convicted of a crime. States are doing this now.

In 2005 the state of Arizona ran a study of their own database of some 65,000 individuals. DNA evidence is considered infallible because no two samples are ever the same, however in the AZ study they found more than 100 profiles that were similar enough for many experts to consider them a "match." How would you like to deal with the potential legal ramifications of such a mistake in your case if wrongly accused?

DNA forensics is an art and a science involving highly complex statistical calculations and handling. At present federal officials are stonewalling scientific reliability studies of their databases.

Here is a CNBC article about some of the potential dangers:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/16/5-b...-with-consumer-genetic-testing-companies.html

 

[phrodeau]

There's more of your DNA in your garbage can than in any sample you send to a lab.

 

[thør]

Maybe you might worry more about "The Fifth Vial".

 

[Emerson40]

The only 'fifths' bellisaurus worries about come in wee, brown paper bags, not vials.