Spring Break
To Whom Else Does Your DNA Belong?
Kareem Mohni
Issue date: 4/3/07 Section: Commentary
There is a wealth of personal and private information about you stored in your DNA. By analyzing your DNA, it is possible to determine if you are at risk for any number of diseases, carry a genetic disease or even determine paternity. But who owns your DNA and who has the right to have it sequenced and analyzed? A feature article in The New York Times by Amy Harmon recently pointed out an alarming trend of individuals, so zealous and determined to complete a family tree, that hey have resorted to stealing DNA from individuals who will not give it willingly. I am not only alarmed by this outright invasion of privacy, but also deeply troubled by these individuals' desire to fill in the blanks of their biological family.
There is a growing market for DNA genealogy kits that easily allow you to determine if you and another individual are related. The kits look at both sets of DNA and compare a number of genetic markers to determine if both individuals share a recent common ancestor. The rapid advances in DNA technology have made these kits not only very accurate, but cheap too. Tests can be run for as little as $99, and with people desperate to complete a family tree, there is almost no financial burden getting in their way - only a moral one.
Reading the story, I am reminded of the movie "Gattaca," in which the main character's love interest steals a piece of his hair and has it sequenced to find out the truth about him. While this may seem like science fiction, it is quickly becoming reality. Harmon describes a woman so eager to fulfill her family tree that she is willing to steal DNA. She highlights the story of Derrell Teat, a 63-year-old woman, who approached a prospective relative about acquiring a sample of his DNA. He refused, but she would not take no for an answer. Instead, she chose to wait for him outside a McDonald's and steal his coffee cup from the trash can in order to get a DNA sample from him. This is blatant genetic theft. The man did not want his DNA taken and Teat went out of her way to go against his wishes. Unfortunately, there is no legal recourse for this man to take, as there are no current laws governing the acquisition of genetic material for DNA testing.
There is a growing market for DNA genealogy kits that easily allow you to determine if you and another individual are related. The kits look at both sets of DNA and compare a number of genetic markers to determine if both individuals share a recent common ancestor. The rapid advances in DNA technology have made these kits not only very accurate, but cheap too. Tests can be run for as little as $99, and with people desperate to complete a family tree, there is almost no financial burden getting in their way - only a moral one.
Reading the story, I am reminded of the movie "Gattaca," in which the main character's love interest steals a piece of his hair and has it sequenced to find out the truth about him. While this may seem like science fiction, it is quickly becoming reality. Harmon describes a woman so eager to fulfill her family tree that she is willing to steal DNA. She highlights the story of Derrell Teat, a 63-year-old woman, who approached a prospective relative about acquiring a sample of his DNA. He refused, but she would not take no for an answer. Instead, she chose to wait for him outside a McDonald's and steal his coffee cup from the trash can in order to get a DNA sample from him. This is blatant genetic theft. The man did not want his DNA taken and Teat went out of her way to go against his wishes. Unfortunately, there is no legal recourse for this man to take, as there are no current laws governing the acquisition of genetic material for DNA testing.
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