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The government owns your DNA. What are they doing with it?

Scutti, Susan
http://www.newsweek.com/2014/08/01/whos-keeping-your-data-safe-dna-banks-261136.html

Publisher:  Newsweek
Date Written:  24/07/2014
Year Published:  2014  
Resource Type:  Article

Some US states have created biobanks of genetic material left over from patient screening tests, with specimens potentially used for purposes that have not granted informed consent, bringing up disturbing ethical and privacy concerns.

Abstract: 
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Excerpt:

In reality, a health report may just be the most enticing carrot 23andMe was able to dream up in order to get your DNA in its computers. As noted by the authors of an article in The New England Journal of Medicine, "23andMe has...suggested that its longer-range goal is to collect a massive biobank of genetic information that can be used and sold for medical research and could also lead to patentable discoveries." This characterization is not denied by 23andMe, which tells Newsweek, "The primary mission of our company is to accelerate genetic discovery."

The real money, then, isn't selling you a health analysis; it's in using and selling your data for biomedical research.

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