100%
I am not sure what stops anyone from getting a gift Visa card, an assumed name, or a business address, and phony info on specifics (exact age, name, etc.)
Has anyone ever done any of these, do they require ID? (Other than the DNA itself)
Considering it was started by the wife (now ex) of Google executive Sergey Brin, I’d say it would be a feature, not a defect.
If this has you worried, forget about it. If you go for a blood test, they have your DNA.
There are a lot of things that are much more within your control to worry about.
Personally I cannot, for the life of me, understand why someone would do this on a whim. If you are concerned about genetic “defects” this is not the place you want to go. If you wonder if you are really Polish, who gives a shit. No one else cares.
Saw the site posted on FR some time back. NO WAY am I using that service.
Except for a very few conditions, genetics as a predictor of your medical future is just about useless. For example, your genetics could place you as having a high risk of heart disease—but you live a healthy lifestyle, eat well and exercise regularly, and never develop heart disease. The intersection of genetics and environment is far too complicated to be revealed by a DNA test.
On the other hand, it is fascinating to know about one’s ethnic background. My genetic analysis shows that I am mostly of Anglo heritage, but I also have Scandanavian, Asian, and African heritage. Amazing! My oral family history does not include Asians or Africans!
Almost everything on your list would be a HIPAA violation. If they did that by the time you were done suing you’d own them.
The only DNA genetics testing company I trust is one located in Israel, and they confirmed everything I already knew.
Circumspection is looking around the environment for ways to reach a goal. Caution is looking around for possible blocks to the goal.
I signed up for 23 and Me after reading Francis Collins’ book Language of Life in 2010. He researched the different businesses and concluded that 23 and Me is the best for quality, price and research. Google’s money can afford top scientists and machinery.
If you send your spit to 23 and Me in San Jose, then they will send you a print out of your five most likely diseases and other interesting stuff. I learned about my five future diseases and now I have five new menus for daily nutrition. The 23 and Me site has excellent chat rooms and research for each disease. Amazing.
Yes, most people in the 23 and Me community are cautious about government interest. The leaders at 23 and Me regularly write essays about security, confidentiality and permissions. I trust it.
Francis Collins and his team from Cal Tech, Berkeley, Harvard and MIT are look for the cures of two thousand diseases. Yes, 2000 diseases. And they will find them.
Also, Collins recommends that most diseases can be cured by diet and exercise. Thus, please, everyone, sign up to 23 and Me, find your future diseases, find menus for each disease, find exercises for each disease and pray for cures.
If the dog whizzes on the floor, send in a sample and see what they say.