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What is the "Minnesota DNA Warehouse" and how long have blood and DNA samples been stored from newborns? You may be surprised.
About 73,000 children are born in Minnesota every year. You know the excitement—have a cigar, call the family, 72 hours of wonderful chaos, videos, pictures, and for many, the last thing on your mind is close scrutiny while signing all the papers.
I have 3 children born since 1997. If that sounds like you, your children's DNA may be stored and used by the state. For what purposes? Twila Brase, President of Citizens' Council on Health Care discusses it here.
A pending bill on the floor of the Minnesota House and Senate will strip citizens of genetic privacy and DNA ownership rights. Today, a state genetic privacy law requires informed parent consent for government testing, ownership and research on the DNA of the newest Minnesota residents. The Minnesota Department of Health wants to eliminate the informed consent requirements. A bill to remove consent requirements for government ownership and genetic research will soon be voted on by the Minnesota House and Senate.
Thus far, the state of Minnesota has illegally collected and claims ownership to the DNA of 780,000 children (soon to be voting adults) and has provided the DNA of 42,210 children to genetic researchers without parent consent. Approximately, 73,000 children are born in Minnesota every year. About 4.2 million children are born across the nation. All of them are losing their genetic privacy and DNA ownership rights. Listen in to an interview of Twila Brase, president of CCHC, as she discusses what's at stake for all citizens in the pending legislation.
Still curious? Take this survey.
What can you do? CCHC has an action center here to contact representatives.
Cross-posted at Freedom Dogs. Comments welcome.
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