Good morning everyone.
I just came across this article on Twitter and wanted to go over a few things as you’ll notice pieces about DNA and privacy are published about every couple months. Yep, it’s that predicable.
We need to be sure of the current landscape as as we utilize DNA testing in our projects and to educate family members as the landscape shifts.
All users at 23andMe have the option of opting out of medical research at any time. Medical research is what this new drug project falls under. This is usually done during the registration process but can be found in your account settings. One important thing to note is the following:
“If you choose to opt out of 23andMe Research, any of your data that have already been entered into a study cannot be withdrawn, but your data will not be included in studies that start more than 30 days after you withdraw.”
If you’ve tested with AncestryDNA, you can click here for their policies on medical research.
With that said, be sure you’re clear on what you sign up for when you give consent on ANY website, DNA or otherwise. If you’re uncomfortable in ANY way, you can always opt out.