NHS plan to DNA test all babies at birth

[Spartacus]

BBC News - NHS plans to DNA test all babies to assess disease risk
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1ljg7v0vmpo

I'm in two minds about this , on one hand it may help eliminate life changing illnesses as a child grows up, providing the gene therapy is available and free to all.

On the other hand, the unexpected consequences could be that the data is sold / shared or lost and if insurance companies get it they could increase premiums or refuse cover due to the higher risk. Equally if an employer gets it, could they discriminate based on likelihood of needing more time off? 

If the data is anonymous and secure, possibly not a problem but even the NHS was hacked recently. 

Years ago I watched Gattaca , where a similar system resulted in upper class "perfect" citizens and the underclass of the "Imperfect"  and whilst it was fiction, this could be how it starts 🤔

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0119177/

[Moovart]

Worth reading The Age of Diagnosis by Dr Suzanne o Sullivan which has a chapter discussing pros and cons of genetic diagnosis.  Sometimes it's better not to know.

[Spartacus]

Still, I suppose another advantage is everyone's DNA will be on file so the police can solve more crimes 🤔

[hpsaucey]

Insidious - even more deeply personal info saved, shared etc. . Finding it quite sinister myself. NHS has already got involved with dodgy Palantir.

 

HP

[malumbu]

Like assisted dying lets have a proper debate and process in both houses.

 

Edited 3 hours ago by malumbu