With the proposed consumer privacy initiative in California a reaction to internet data abuse, it's time, long overdue, to discuss the murky territory once-presumed-protected health information has entered.
DNA sequencing
Does Geisinger Health System's latest pitch, to offer DNA sequencing as part of routine testing at the primary care visit, promise more than it can deliver?
Starting this summer, the Dubai Health Authority will sequence the DNA of all three million city residents. The hope is that the information, stored in a database, will result in identifying changes in the genes and proteins that can lead to conquering genetic diseases, 220 of which are prevalent in the United Arab Emirates.
We can do a lot of things in under 24 hours. Now, we can add to that list sequence a human genome and diagnose a genetic disease. This amazing feat was done recently and shows just how quickly personalized genetic information is revolutionizing medicine.