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This is not 'the' human genome. It is 'A' human genome, that of only one person. It isn't an average or representative mixture of codes.
I know that the genetic code for humans is for the most part identical within 99.9 %. But there are differences. This technolgy is not really a huge threat to anyone's anonymity or privacy, because currently it takes bloody ages to read a single person's genome, let alone to do it on the kind of scale required for the data to be useful to the insurance industry. We don't need legislation yet.
Genetic information is not much use in predicting major problems like heart disease. It can be done much more reliably (and cheaply) by knowing:
1. Your income (this is the most important factor by far).
2. Your ethnic background (simply as some groups are much, much more susceptible than others to certain problems).
3. Your region of abode.
And this probably going to be the best way of assessing susceptibilty for a good while yet.
What's more, keeping genetic code secret is pretty impossible. Unless you want to go around in an air-proof sack, or never leave the house, you are going to be leaving cells all over the place. |
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