Thanks for the comment, Albin Paul! I wasn’t sure if I was getting goosebumps from excitement or fear.

FYI for anyone who’s interested, I wrote about allegations against Google and genetic privacy last year over at my old blog, Genetics and Health.

Google has been nominated for the 2006 Captain Hook Awards for Worst Corporate Offender:

“Google are reportedly making their massive computing power available to the J Craig Venter Foundation for gene sequencing to generate a gene catalogue for all the genes on the planet. Individual users will then input their own genetic sequence for a read out of their genetic predispositions analyzed against the existing database.”

The supposed link between Google and the Venter Foundation is old news and unconfirmed. Organizers of the Captain Hook Awards are accusing Google and the Venter Foundation of attempting to monopolize all genetic information - yours, mine, the world’s. Are they for real?

First of all, if people wanted to upload their genomic information onto a Google database, that’s their personal choice. I don’t see any evidence of Google coercing them.

The reality is, as much as our knowledge of genetics has advanced over the past 20 years, we are still far from understanding even a small portion. We are not even close to being able to manipulate our genome permanently for ours and our offsprings’ benefit. And frankly, I think most people would welcome the idea of personalized, gene-based medicines if they are more effective and cause less side effects.

We can either harness the technological power of Google and the Venter Foundation for good. Or, stay in the dark ages cocooned in deluded safety but never reap the benefits. Can’t have it both ways.

ZDNet UK, March 29, 2006
via Slashdot, March 30, 2006

You don’t have anything to worry about, Christina, as long as you’re friends with me. I’ve got your back when it comes to all this DNA stuff.