Kaiser Permanente is Creating Genetic Banks

Kaiser Permanente, a health company, has began studying how environmental factors and lifestyles play a role in genetics and disease. The company is sending surveys out to its two million adult members. The survey asks members about their lifestyle and their family history. The next step for the company is to ask these members to send in a sample of genetic material. The goal of the project is to better understand what causes diseases and possibly develop new treatments. As with everything, there are benefits and risks that must be considered.

The benefits of the project, if it goes as planned, are great and numerous. Scientists will be able to improve the health of people around the world by finding causes of common diseases and identifying genetic and environmental factors that affect health. Some of the medical mysteries, like why one person in the family has heart disease and why another doesn't, has a great possibility of being solved. If this study allows scientists to identify the connection between genes and environmental factors that affect health, then these factors could be eliminated. If risks of a person developing a certain disease can be identified and how to reduce the risk could be learned, the result would be less people who are affected by possibly preventable diseases. While the benefits seem ideal, we have to consider the risks associated with this study as well.

While there aren't as many identified risks as there are identified benefits, risks do exist and do not need to be taken lightly. One negative result of this research is the cost- $7 million just for sending out surveys to the people. Imagine how much it would cost to get DNA samples of all the people that send back the completed survey and how much it would cost to store them and finish the research. While we are in recession, is it a good idea to spend this amount of money? The main risk that concerns most people is privacy. If this company, or others, have a database of DNA from people what would happen if it fell into the wrong hands? It's a possibility that these people who have their genetic material stored there will see more negative outcomes than positive. What would happen if business that are getting ready to hire someone decides that they want to know if this person has a disease or is at risk? While this would be discrimination, it could happen. These businesses could argue that they deserve to know about these impacts that will determine work performance. Many things could happen if this data was not used as it was intended to be used. Until privacy can be guaranteed, then I think that this project should not be put into action.

This research project is a good idea until the risks are examined. It would be great if this project could be put through in a more cost effective manner and in a way that would guarantee privacy of the participants. It should not be shut down because of these things, just improved. It's a really great idea and could benefit many now and in the future.