Can DNA testing become a privacy concern?

As we all are aware of the fact that DNA testing becomes more common and it is very easy for the people to spit the saliva and get the DNA test done. But, what exactly is a DNA test? Does it cause any privacy issue?

Deoxyribo-nucleic acid (DNA) can tell you so many facts about yourself. A segment of DNA converts amino acids into proteins. Proteins perform its functions like generating new cells. That's how the building blocks start from amino acids to proteins, proteins to cells, cells to tissues, organs, people and so on.
 

In the nucleus of each cell, there is a DNA molecule packed into thread-like structures which we called chromosomes. These chromosomes carry all the information of the organism what they are like sex, hair colour, eye colour, the body clock, obesity, diseases, etc.

DNA profiling technology is used to help law enforcement agencies in various cases to identify both victim and suspect. However, in a recent study of eLife, some vulnerabilities in the DNA databases of the companies like GEDmatch, MyHeritage, FamilyTreeDNA have been found which could lead hackers to gain access to personal genetic data and compromise people privacy.

 

One of the considerable risks is a large number of DNA database uploads. In criminal cases, there is a requirement of DNA samples of the persons related to the case for different categories like testing victims, offenders, missing or unidentified deceased person information. Once these samples are analyzed by a DNA laboratory, they will be stored in a national DNA data bank. The main problem is that someone could easily gain access and exploit these uploaded databases which would become privacy risk for a person.

 

In the case of civil matters, the law does not require the consent of an individual while giving DNA samples. The major reason behind the need for consent is that a person’s bodily substances include DNA, which provides a brief detailed report about someone's genetic information such as physical and medical traits. Such information may affect their privacy, and consent offers a kind of safeguard against DNA exploit.

 

The Court has stated that the right to privacy may be violated only through the enactment of a law, and that law must achieve a public purpose that’s proportionate to the violation of privacy.

The Parliament needs to consider this issue severely to decrease the chances of exploitation of people privacy and also people required to be more careful while giving their sample for the testing of DNA profiling.