2/3/2017 3 Comments Ethnics in DNA Testing #2We see the ads daily, and the subject of it has become widely known – DNA testing that is easily available and is being marketed as a valuable source for our historical background. Multiple companies are now offering this seemingly easy test, and for a very reasonable price, one can simply submit a saliva sample and within weeks learn of your ancestral background. But what ethical responsibilities do these companies have to their customers, and to government agencies who also find this information very valuable? What has been realized is that certain individuals have learned to utilize their own DNA test results to suit their personal gain. Claiming inheritances, using ethnic backgrounds to promote college entrance requirements, and paternity suits are but a handful of examples of how individuals are using this information. And with that, an even larger issue is appearing, people who collect DNA samples from others without their consent. And this is where the ethics have become clear, it may be legal to do so, but the majority of people concur it is highly unethical to do so. All the companies that offer DNA testing explicitly require that the person who is submitting for the test be the consenting individual who is ordering the test. You cannot submit a DNA test for someone without their consent, and this is a standard of good ethical conduct that should be maintained.
Do government agencies such as the police have a right to access this information without the consent of the individual? Yes, according to the companies who have the database, the due process of law stipulates that this type of information be made accessible to law enforcement, and for good reason. DNA testing has proven many times to be a key part of solving crimes and in reverse, it has worked just as well. Prior to DNA testing, people convicted of crimes have spent decades in prison, only to be later exonerated by DNA testing now in place. The ethics of DNA testing remain clear, this information as requested should be only ordered by the person seeking it, and the companies who hold this information have an ethical responsibility to not sell this information to private companies for marketing or data collection on groups of people. We have as a society a moral and ethical duty to provide DNA information on individuals who may, or may not have committed a crime. Naturally, this information should be limited strictly to the purpose of law enforcement, and to date, there have been no reported abuses of it for that purpose. While it may not be a crime to steal someone’s DNA without their consent, it is ethically wrong and we need to understand that it is information we are not entitled to without consent. The National Genealogical Society says we should “respect the restrictions on sharing information that arise from the rights of another… as a living private person.” With such an enormous amount of growth in this area of technology, the data collected is very powerful and helpful when used appropriately. The ethics of DNA testing are well defined, and in the future, will hopefully be adhered to by both the consumers and the industry itself.
3 Comments
matt provo
2/6/2017 03:06:18 pm
Great topic Luigi. I was glad to read that the companies handling DNA testing explicitly require that the person who is submitting for the test be the consenting individual who is ordering the test. I see the value of DNA testing in law enforcement but personally, I don't think the companies should submit any DNA information to law enforcement agencies unless they specifically request it with a warrant. I agree DNA information is not something we are entitled to without consent.
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Shaikh Sultani
5/18/2017 11:26:13 pm
It is definitely ethically wrong to steal someone's DNA. It should also be legally wrong to do so, someones DNA is something personal to them, it is specific to them and shouldn't be allowed to anyone. You cant say that its ethically wrong to steal something like a social security number, that is illegal. And so should DNA stealing.
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Cammron Keehley
5/23/2017 08:21:37 pm
Hey Luigi,
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