Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Purchase Your Personal Gene Map

Posted by timothy on from the priceless dept.

dstone writes "Craig Venter, Time Magazine's Person of the Year in 2000 has a new hobby: collecting rich people's DNA. Millionaires are lining up to buy their personal gene maps for the cool price of USD$621,500. The process takes a week and you get some insight into your genetic mutations that may correlate with illnesses, cancers, Alzeimer's, etc. Venter is a high profile character in the genetic sequencing scene and the Human Genome Project. More info on him may be found here(1) , here(2), and here(3) . If you had the pocket change, would you give this man your business?"

3 of 266 comments (clear)

  1. Well. by RaboKrabekian · · Score: 5, Insightful

    While this is neat and all, and it was an inevitable use of the technology - does this scream "Gattaca" to anyone else? How long before we're doing this for unborn fetuses, and aborting those with serious defects? Or choosing among the choicest embryos?

    --
    "Moderate drinking can help prevent amputated limbs" -- Abigail Zuger, NYTimes, 12/31/02
  2. Top-secret information? by wmspringer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Now here's something you don't want your insurance company getting their hands on....

    Increased risk of cancer? Sorry, not covered...

    Increased risk of alcoholism? Those driver's insurance premiums just doubled..

    --
    Twenties Retirement
  3. Just wait 10 years.. by lunaman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...and your employer (or insurance company, bank, credit bureau, department of motor vehicles, Department of Homeland Defense, etc.) will do it for you FOR FREE!

    With or without your permission.

    Perhaps by then someone will offer a service where you can pay your $600K to PREVENT everyone from getting your gene sequence...