Comments on: The jury’s in? http://genomeboy.com/2007/11/06/the-jurys-in/ Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:16:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: misha http://genomeboy.com/2007/11/06/the-jurys-in/#comment-215 misha Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:08:33 +0000 http://genomeboy.com/2007/11/06/the-jurys-in/#comment-215 Thanks, D. It seems they want it both ways: I think I've alluded to it elsewhere, but there was a story in the LA Times by Karen Kaplan (18 August 2007) where the US military was fingered as being perhaps the leading practitioner of genetic discrimination in this country. Basically, if you have a congenital condition, the army doesn't want to be on the hook for your medical care. Thanks, D. It seems they want it both ways: I think I’ve alluded to it elsewhere, but there was a story in the LA Times by Karen Kaplan (18 August 2007) where the US military was fingered as being perhaps the leading practitioner of genetic discrimination in this country. Basically, if you have a congenital condition, the army doesn’t want to be on the hook for your medical care.

]]> By: Duncan Murrell http://genomeboy.com/2007/11/06/the-jurys-in/#comment-214 Duncan Murrell Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:03:15 +0000 http://genomeboy.com/2007/11/06/the-jurys-in/#comment-214 Able-bodied people are compelled to give up their DNA/tissue/cells in precisely this way when they join the U.S. Military. The DOD DNA Registry begun in earnest in the early 1990s, is now nearly comprehensive, and although "donors" are afforded some rights of petition to have their samples destroyed after their service, on the whole they intend to keep the samples up to 50 years. That's a lot of people: http://www.afip.org/Departments/oafme/dna/ And check out this pdf of a powerpoint presentation made by a Brion C. Smith for the Department of Defense DNA Registry: http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/plans/3AFDIL.pdf It includes references to the collection of at DNA samples from at least 7,000 "detainees", who one might presume were not asked for permission. Though the DNA Registry was established for remains identification, you can see from the presentation that in their 2005-2010 plans, the DOD sees a somewhat broader role for the Registry. An excerpt, from near the end: <i>- The premier forensic DNA laboratory in the world combined with a creative information technology capacity to provide global connectivity and database management - Providing services to DoD and non-DoD federal agencies in support of personnel accounting, defense, law enforcement, humanitarian, national security and intelligence missions - 97% contractor staff with ability expand and contract - All activities in leased facilities - The whole is greater than the sum of the parts – fragmentation would leave the nation less prepared for a major event.</i> Able-bodied people are compelled to give up their DNA/tissue/cells in precisely this way when they join the U.S. Military. The DOD DNA Registry begun in earnest in the early 1990s, is now nearly comprehensive, and although “donors” are afforded some rights of petition to have their samples destroyed after their service, on the whole they intend to keep the samples up to 50 years. That’s a lot of people:

http://www.afip.org/Departments/oafme/dna/

And check out this pdf of a powerpoint presentation made by a Brion C. Smith for the Department of Defense DNA Registry: http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/plans/3AFDIL.pdf

It includes references to the collection of at DNA samples from at least 7,000 “detainees”, who one might presume were not asked for permission. Though the DNA Registry was established for remains identification, you can see from the presentation that in their 2005-2010 plans, the DOD sees a somewhat broader role for the Registry. An excerpt, from near the end:

- The premier forensic DNA laboratory in the world combined
with a creative information technology capacity to provide
global connectivity and database management
- Providing services to DoD and non-DoD federal agencies in
support of personnel accounting, defense, law enforcement,
humanitarian, national security and intelligence missions
- 97% contractor staff with ability expand and contract
- All activities in leased facilities
- The whole is greater than the sum of the parts – fragmentation
would leave the nation less prepared for a major event.

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