Is your privacy protected when you do a DNA test?
You may think that the Privacy Policy of your favorite DNA testing company protects you, your identity, and your personally identifiable information. But, that is simply not the case. Even though most DNA testing companies de-personalize your data, the nature of genetic data itself stores personally-identifiable information. So, just because your name is not on the sample, there are still methods which can be used to identify your genetic code. Further, genetic testing companies are not covered under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This act typically enforces the rule that doctors and health insurance agencies cannot share your personal medical records with first removing all personally identifiable information. And, while the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) does protect you from being excluded from Medicare based on your…
