Direct consumer genetic testing has become popular. A consumer sends a DNA sample, such as saliva, to one of dozens of companies that provide information about common health traits or ancestry. What can these companies do with your data? Should companies be able to sell your data? Should a parent post their child's DNA profile online? Discuss your thoughts using factual evidence and/or research to defend your position.
Many major countries, including the United States, recruit healthcare professionals from around the world to supply nurses and doctors during times of shortages. Discuss the ethics of recruiting highly qualified staff, on a permanent basis, from foreign countries. While the United States benefits greatly, how does this affect the country the individual was recruited from? Ultimately, how is the world affected when professionals are recruited away from their home country? Discuss your thoughts using factual evidence and/or research to defend your position.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many areas of the world did not have access to newly developed vaccines. What factors should be considered on a global scale to improve equitable distribution of vaccinations and other medical technology in the case of a world-wide health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic? Discuss your thoughts using factual evidence and/or research to defend your position.
In your responses to two of your peers, extend their discussion using factual and/or research to deepen the dialog.
Posting a child's DNA profile online
A parent should not post their child's DNA profile online. A child cannot provide informed consent, and this action creates a lifelong, irreversible privacy risk for them. Their genetic data could be used in the future to:
Predict their health risks without their knowledge.
Generate personal information that they may not want to be public.
Potentially be used for genetic discrimination in areas not covered by current laws.
The potential for harm is significant and permanent, making it an ethically indefensible action.
Ethics of recruiting healthcare professionals
The global recruitment of highly qualified healthcare professionals, while beneficial to countries with shortages, raises serious ethical concerns about its effect on the professionals' home countries and the world as a whole. This practice is often referred to as "brain drain."
Effect on the home country
The departure of highly skilled healthcare professionals has a devastating impact on the countries they leave behind, which are often developing nations with already fragile healthcare systems.
Weakened health infrastructure: The loss of experienced doctors and nurses means a reduced capacity to provide quality care, especially in rural areas. This can lead to a decline in public health outcomes.
Increased workload and burnout: The remaining staff must take on a heavier workload, which can lead to burnout, lower morale, and a further exodus of talent.
Financial burden: The country that educated and trained these professionals loses its investment. This reduces its capacity to address local health crises and perpetuates global health inequalities.
Effect on the world
Ultimately, the world is negatively affected by this practice. By concentrating healthcare expertise in wealthy nations, global health disparities are exacerbated. A lack of trained professionals in developing countries means that these nations are less able to respond to disease outbreaks, manage chronic illnesses, and implement public health programs. This creates a global health security risk, as a disease outbreak in one country can quickly spread to others, as was seen with the COVID-19 pandemic. The world is only as safe and healthy as its most vulnerable populations.
Equitable distribution of medical technology
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the stark inequalities in the global distribution of vaccines and other medical technologies. To improve equitable distribution in a future world-wide health crisis, the following factors should be considered:
Waiving Intellectual Property (IP) Rights: A key debate during the pandemic was whether to temporarily waive intellectual property rights for vaccines to allow developing countries to manufacture generic versions. In a future crisis, a global agreement to waive patents and share technology could drastically increase manufacturing capacity and accelerate distribution.
Sample Answer
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing has become a popular way for individuals to learn about their ancestry and health traits. However, this convenience also raises significant ethical and privacy concerns.
What companies can do with your data
While DTC genetic testing companies analyze your DNA to provide you with insights, they can also use your data for other purposes, often outlined in their terms of service and privacy policies. These uses include:
Sharing with third parties: Many companies partner with pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms for research and drug development. This data is often "de-identified," meaning personal information like your name and contact details is removed, but the genetic data itself is sold or licensed.
Law enforcement: In some cases, law enforcement agencies have used genetic data from public and private databases to identify suspects in cold cases. This is a complex legal area, and while some companies have fought these requests, others have complied.
Data breaches: Like any company that holds sensitive data, DTC genetic testing companies are vulnerable to data breaches, which could expose your genetic information to hackers. Once your genetic code is out, it cannot be changed.
Selling your data
Companies should not be able to sell your genetic data without your explicit and informed consent. The ethical issue lies in the fact that genetic data is uniquely personal and contains information not just about you, but also about your family members. Once sold, this data is difficult to control. Potential risks include: