Six degrees of genetic identification

Human sequencing tools and population genomics are becoming increasingly available commercially. Advertised as fun and informative direct-to-consumer genomic kits, this commercial enterprise has become commonplace in households across the world, and has helped to educate populations that were previously unaware of genetic testing. Analysis of an individual’s genome can be an intriguing experiment for some, or medically necessary for others; in either case, genetic testing is no longer confined to medical laboratories. The expansion of commercial genetic sequencing companies pushes boundaries, posing many questions and risks. Commercial accessibility can mean that the process of informed consent is not rigorously upheld and patient understanding may not be uniform, resulting in potential confusion and upset. Without stringent safeguarding, information security could pose another risk for users whose genetic sequence may be stored in databases and sold to third-party companies in the name of profit. While it is clear that strict regulations need to be placed on this growing field to protect patient identity and medical information, the expansion of this scientific discipline has therapeutic potential. Improved genetic data mining and family pedigree genealogy research is helping to identify new therapeutic targets for many diseases, and holds promise for identifying new drug targets. If the human genome represents the fundamental unit of ‘who we are’, should it be allowed to become a commercial enterprise, or must an individual’s genetics be safeguarded?