The following is an excerpt.
Most people in the United States could soon know someone whose genome is held in a research database. Concerns are growing about our ability to properly control access to that information. Also growing among some scientists is the feeling that restricting access to genomic data fetters research. How long will it be until an idealistic and technically literate researcher deliberately releases genome and trait information publicly in the name of open science?
Read the full story here: Be prepared for the big genome leak
Additional Resources:
- “Poking Holes in Genetic Privacy,” New York Times
Researchers find that you can identify individuals from scientific data that was intended to be anonymous.
- National Conference of State Legislators: Genetic Privacy Laws
Genetic privacy laws vary from state to state in the US. This handy diagram charts legislation on genetic information privacy in each state. - “A Hacked Database Prompts Debate about Genetic Privacy,” Scientific American
Read an account of how researchers, earlier this year, easily deciphered the identity of individuals based on their publicly available DNA.
