NBR: DNA sample requested for school?

blondnearby

I am a long time lurker of BOTB and a regular poster on SP but I wanted opinions on something.

I received a DNA sampling kit for the university I will be attending next month. They are requesting the DNA so they can test each sample for three different genetic variants: usage of vitamin folic acid, digestion of milk products and whether or not the person is prone to facial flushing and nausea when alcohol is consumed.

Would you give the university a sample of your DNA?  It is a very well known university as far as academics stand. 

AJplusKev

ABSOLUTELY NOT. That's none of their beeswax.

Mrs.C042807

This just sounds like all kinds of weird to me.

greenclown

NFW.

Mrs.EliK

I have never heard of something like that.  I would be doing a lot more research into this. 

crownedbee

Never in a million years.

leslie13510

Uh no.  Hell no.  That's weird.

ohashlet

greenclown:

NFW.

 

Once again, GC sums it up best.

julia0402

I gave a DNA sample to a university for a study on preterm labor, but they didn't just mail me a kit out of nowhere.  I don't think it's weird to give a sample for a study, but this sounds a little more random than that?  Did they ask you if you wanted to participate before you received the kit?  I also had to sign a bunch of stuff...

AJplusKev

Plus...you don't know what else they'll do with your DNA.

leslie13510

julia0402:

I gave a DNA sample to a university for a study on preterm labor, but they didn't just mail me a kit out of nowhere.  I don't think it's weird to give a sample for a study, but this sounds a little more random than that?  Did they ask you if you wanted to participate before you received the kit?  I also had to sign a bunch of stuff...

See now this I could understand.  Just getting a kit though, and them testing for such random things like whether your face flushes when you drink?  Not happening.  I'd be concerned about what else they were doing with my DNA in that case.

blondnearby

https://www.todaysthv.com/news/natInt/story.aspx?storyid=104966&catid=288

Here is an article. I don't care if you know where I will be going.  It isn't just freshmen, though, its all new incoming students. 

Tim'sWifey

I think it depends on the University and what exactly they're doing research for and what will be done with your DNA after the research.

BeerFlu

Y'all do realize that when you get blood drawn, they don't throw away what they don't need, right? That most of the time it gets sent away and stored? And that it's been going on for some time?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/29/AR2009062903118.html?hpid=sec-health

I would. You give your dna away when you spit out your gum and when you clean your brush. Handing it over for medical research is nbd, imo.

akalutts

Ha, now I know what university you will be going to.

In this instance, yes, because they very carefully set up a program that is supposed to be blind, and the factors they are testing for can in no way be used "against" you. I think this is one of their most interesting projects yet.

leslie13510

Ok knowing more details about it now, and the safety checks they have in place to keep things private, I change my hell no to just no.  I just think those are very odd things to check for (though I realize it's probably for a specific project) and I still get a weird feeling that makes me say no thanks. 

BostonGayGal

Of course it STARTS out as private.  Then some girl on campus gets raped and the rapist leaves a DNA sample.  The University feels the pressure to find the rapist, the cops want to find the rapist, and pressure is put on the leaders of the project.

Then the leaders of the project are threatened with no tenure/decaffeinated coffee/firing/no support for future projects, and they cave.  The rapist is caught.  Yey for that.  Except that the next time there is a crime in which DNA is left at the scene in the city of Berkeley, the cops will want access to the DNA again to 'rule out' the students.

Then they want it because somebody cut themselves on a beaker in the science lab and used the blood to paint a mustache on the overdone portrait of the pompous Dean in the Science building and 'no student should be allowed to get away with such tomfoolery!"

I'm a cynic. 

oh-zysbaby

BostonGayGal:

Of course it STARTS out as private.  Then some girl on campus gets raped and the rapist leaves a DNA sample.  The University feels the pressure to find the rapist, the cops want to find the rapist, and pressure is put on the leaders of the project.

Then the leaders of the project are threatened with no tenure/decaffeinated coffee/firing/no support for future projects, and they cave.  The rapist is caught.  Yey for that.  Except that the next time there is a crime in which DNA is left at the scene in the city of Berkeley, the cops will want access to the DNA again to 'rule out' the students.

Then they want it because somebody cut themselves on a beaker in the science lab and used the blood to paint a mustache on the overdone portrait of the pompous Dean in the Science building and 'no student should be allowed to get away with such tomfoolery!"

I'm a cynic. 

I love this response. BGG is brilliant. 

Unfortunately, this sucks. It sucks that we can't be willing to help with science for fear of the idiots that will go back on their word, screw up a process that's supposed to be private, and use what was given with good intentions for whatever the hell they want.

Landon's DNA was tested at birth for a study about Type 1 Diabetes, with my permission. This information could potentially get into the wrong hands. It's theoretical that our insurance company could pull some shenanigans because Landon does, in fact, have a gene that makes him high risk for it. We have chosen to participate in the study long term and give as much information to the researchers as possible because I believe that helping find a cause for a debilitating disease is a good and important thing.

I'm curious what the point is of the university study, if they already understand those genes - but I think at the very least I'd be interested in knowing the folic acid part, because it could be helpful in my future health management. Worth the risk of stored DNA? Not sure.