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After DNA Misuse, Researchers Banished From Havasupai Reservation
bbsguru writes "A court settlement has ended a controversial case of medical privacy abuse. From the NYTimes: 'Seven years ago, the Havasupai Indians, who live in the deepest part of the Grand Canyon, issued a 'banishment order' to keep Arizona State University employees from setting foot on their reservation, an ancient punishment for what they regarded as a genetic-era betrayal. Members of the tiny tribe had given DNA samples to university researchers starting in 1990, hoping they might provide genetic clues to the tribe's high rate of diabetes. But members learned their blood samples also had been used to study many other things, including mental illness and theories of the tribe's geographical origins that contradict their traditional stories.'"
If I gave a DNA sample to somebody (like your mom last night) without making them sign some sort of agreement as to how that sample was to be used, what expectation would I reasonably have that the use would be exclusive? Did these researchers obligate themselves verbally to an exclusive use? Just saying 'we will use these for x' is not exclusive by itself. Unless the researchers said 'we will use these for x and nothing else ' then these whiners have no ground to stand on, except being stupid and careless.
(The 'your mom' joke was just low hanging fruit to the subject, and I would have used it in my reply to anybody. It is not intended as a personal provocation.)
I support the Slashcott and will not be reading or commenting from 2/10/14 to 2/17/14. Beta is steaming pile of dog shit
When you benefit from a nation built on the genocide of a group of people, you take your chances.
Nobody murdered 90% of Christians in order to build the USA.
It's just a liiiiiiiiitle bit different.
Blar.
Yeah, but you're assuming I'm dumb enough to let somebody borrow one of my guns. Like hell I would. These people did something dumb, and now they're complaining about it. If they wanted to have expansive use definitions for samples that they voluntarily surrendered, they should have had those terms in writing. Then if this had still happened, they could sue. The end.
I support the Slashcott and will not be reading or commenting from 2/10/14 to 2/17/14. Beta is steaming pile of dog shit
I have never lent somebody a car in my life, because with rare exceptions that would be an extremely dumb and irresponsible thing to do. Just like what these people did. They gave over samples apparently with no written guaranty of how they would be used, and now they're stunned that they have been used for other things. No shit.
Somebody could get drunk in my car and kill somebody. That's why I would only lend a car to somebody I knew fairly intimately, whose behavior I could predict based on precedents, which would mitigate my fears over the financial and/or criminal liability I would inherit by volunteering my property for another person's use. Like I said, never done it, probably won't for anybody not related by blood. It's called taking responsibility. These people didn't, now they're bitching like it's the researchers' fault that they never required them to agree to any terms before releasing the samples. Absurd.
I support the Slashcott and will not be reading or commenting from 2/10/14 to 2/17/14. Beta is steaming pile of dog shit
It all started when they wanted to put fluoride in the water! POE! POE!
When you're afraid to download music illegally in your own home, then the terrorists have won!