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DNA Data From California Newborn Blood Samples Stored, Sold To 3rd Parties (cbslocal.com)

Posted by Soulskill on from the possibly-used-to-clone-army-of-stormtroopers dept.

schwit1 writes: "This might come as a surprise to California natives in their 20s and early 30s: The state owns your DNA. Every year about four million newborns in the U.S. get a heel prick at birth, to screen for congenital disorders, that if found early enough, can save their life." However, when those tests are done, the leftover blood isn't simply thrown away. Instead, they're taken to an office building and the DNA data is stored in a database. "It’s a treasure trove of information about you, from the color of your eyes and hair to your pre-disposition to diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer." And that's not the end of it: "The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is not the only agency using the blood spots. Law enforcement can request them. Private companies can buy them to do research – without your consent."

13 of 187 comments (clear)

  1. What's the complaint? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Standard herd-management practice; stop disrespecting your owners.

    1. Re:What's the complaint? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      No there isn't. It's legitimized by law: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/110/s1858

    2. Re:What's the complaint? by BitterOak · · Score: 5, Informative

      Wow....

      Is there a way parents can refuse to allow this to their kid?

      Yes. Don't have your baby in a hospital.

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    3. Re:What's the complaint? by Moof123 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      In my 30's? Check.
      Born in Cali? Check.
      Born at home? Check! I escaped this one thanks to the awful experience my parents had at the hospital with my brother.

      Interestingly, back then the state could really make you jump through hoops for doing this. My birth certificate got held up for 4 months to try to force my parents to divulge the midwife's name (midwifery was and may still be illegal in the People's Republic of California).

    4. Re:What's the complaint? by stephanruby · · Score: 5, Insightful

      In my 30's? Check.
      Born in Cali? Check.
      Born at home? Check! I escaped this one thanks to the awful experience my parents had at the hospital with my brother.

      You didn't escape anything.

      If they have your brother's dna on file, then they're just one brother away from identifying your dna.

    5. Re:What's the complaint? by BitterOak · · Score: 3, Insightful

      We still want a sample because

      You may want a sample. I want a beach house in Malibu. Luck to us all.

      we are mandated by law to screen every baby.

      You may be mandated by law to screen every baby, but that doesn't mean I am mandated by law to hand you my baby for screening.

      You can avoid this by refusing to have your child participate in the medical and legal systems... we won't mind.. less work.

      Please cite the law which says my child can never go to a doctor or hire a lawyer because he hasn't provided the state with a DNA sample.

      --
      If I can be modded down for being a troll, can I be modded up for being an orc, or a balrog?
    6. Re:What's the complaint? by AmiMoJo · · Score: 3, Interesting

      One of the worst aspects of DNA databases is that they criminalize family members of people on the database.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
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  2. Sue - Sue - Sue! by Mitreya · · Score: 4, Insightful
    I don't think this

    Law enforcement can request them. Private companies can buy them to do research - without your consent.

    neccesarily means that

    The state owns your DNA.

    Surely it should be possible to establish that individuals own their DNA, particularly from the perspective of private companies that may want to buy them from the state. Lawsuit time?

  3. and you don't own any discoveries . . . by swell · · Score: 4, Insightful

    No doubt they can patent anything interesting that they find in your blood.
    You won't be the first whose DNA made millions for other people.

    --
    ...omphaloskepsis often...
    1. Re:and you don't own any discoveries . . . by mspohr · · Score: 4, Informative

      Henrietta Lacks.
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

      Biotech made millions from her DNA. She got nothing.

      --
      I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
  4. Any child of an EU or Canadian citizen can sue by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 5, Interesting

    DNA is Data.

    The EU/US Data Treaty and the US/Canada Data Treaty both give citizens of those countries, even if born in the US, data privacy.

    I smell class action lawsuits.

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    -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
    1. Re:Any child of an EU or Canadian citizen can sue by DavidPoole · · Score: 3, Interesting

      We do not test people who are not residents of California. I have one sample from outside our program and we still don't know what to do with it since there is no data attached and we have no authority to destroy it.

  5. DNA is part of my person isn't it? by Shadow+of+Eternity · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I do believe I have a right to be secure in my person, papers, etc against an unreasonable search or siezure...

    --
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