Reply to: Should DNA tests be routine?

[greenlake]

If everyone is on the database, then an incorrect match with an individual is unlikely to be a unique match. Multiple matching acts against incorrect idenitfication.

Science fiction gradually becoming science fact....?



Gattaca (1997) - IMDb

[vetran]

You're right, although it sounds more like a Sword of Damocles.

I was thinking the evils it could be used for would be multiple and completely unexpected when you opened the Box but the

[SueEllen]

If everyone is on the database, then an incorrect match with an individual is unlikely to be a unique match. Multiple matching acts against incorrect idenitfication.

But according to all those true crime programs they only put part of your DNA on a database to save money. This means even if you don't have an identical twin there is a possibility of there being a match against you.

Remember they use to claim, until DNA turned up, that finger prints and foot prints were unique....

[northernladyuk]

Something to bear in mind is that the larger the DNA database grows, then obviously the closer and closer similar profiles become.

So expanding the database to include everyone will greatly increase the chance of an incorrect match and at the very least often make it harder to be confident of a correct match.

If everyone is on the database, then an incorrect match with an individual is unlikely to be a unique match. Multiple matching acts against incorrect idenitfication.

[SueEllen]

'Some'? More than one and less than all?

Ask people whose kids have fetal abnormalities.

[OwlHoot]

Sadly I've become addicted to the true crime/forensic investigation programmes. Although it's true that most people are murdered by people they know and the police can catch them quite quickly, there's quite a lot of unsolved murders. I have found myself wondering whether it might be a good idea to log our dna at birth. It's just that I hate the idea of people literally getting away with murder. And many crimes would be solved so much quicker.
I know. Civil liberties.

Something to bear in mind is that the larger the DNA database grows, then obviously the closer and closer similar profiles become.

So expanding the database to include everyone will greatly increase the chance of an incorrect match and at the very least often make it harder to be confident of a correct match.

[northernladyuk]

We already have doctors encouraging the aborting of children with 'foetal abnormalities', some of whom when they are born turn out to be perfectly fine.
It's dangerous ground, I agree.

'Some'? More than one and less than all?

[Elliegirl]

But then UKIP get into power and start rounding up people with Romany genetic markers.

We already have doctors encouraging the aborting of children with 'foetal abnormalities', some of whom when they are born turn out to be perfectly fine.
It's dangerous ground, I agree.

[northernladyuk]

Sadly I've become addicted to the true crime/forensic investigation programmes. Although it's true that most people are murdered by people they know and the police can catch them quite quickly, there's quite a lot of unsolved murders. I have found myself wondering whether it might be a good idea to log our dna at birth. It's just that I hate the idea of people literally getting away with murder. And many crimes would be solved so much quicker.
I know. Civil liberties.

But then UKIP get into power and start rounding up people with Romany genetic markers.

[Elliegirl]

I remember in a break through case some guy got caught because they had his sister's DNA.

Sadly I've become addicted to the true crime/forensic investigation programmes. Although it's true that most people are murdered by people they know and the police can catch them quite quickly, there's quite a lot of unsolved murders. I have found myself wondering whether it might be a good idea to log our dna at birth. It's just that I hate the idea of people literally getting away with murder. And many crimes would be solved so much quicker.
I know. Civil liberties.

[OwlHoot]

The other thing with all this is that although it could result in better treatment for people that have a cancer causing gene, it could also result in worse treatment for anyone who doesn't as they decide cancer is less likely and so don't do the proper tests.

or shove you to the back of the queue, so the tests are delayed.

[northernladyuk]

Unfortunately the Government & ABI have a different opinion of this

https://www.abi.org.uk/products-and-...netic-testing/



from the Concordat

As I said, legislation can manage this. Parliament is sovereign.

[GJABS]

Those with nothing to hide have nothing to fear. Allegedly .

Very true.
Assuming you don't happen to live in a country that turns into a new:
Nazi Germany
Soviet Russia
North Korea
etc, etc, etc,

[VectraMan]

The other thing with all this is that although it could result in better treatment for people that have a cancer causing gene, it could also result in worse treatment for anyone who doesn't as they decide cancer is less likely and so don't do the proper tests.

[OwlHoot]

I believe if they become routine then they will form part of insurance decisions in the future. This is the same as many other methods the insurance industry uses to target us.

They may be excluded at present but its a Pandora's box.

You're right, although it sounds more like a Sword of Damocles.