Genomic data and society

The Science Media Centre’s recent briefing on ‘unravelleing your genome‘ has resulted in several media stories highlighting some of the issues raised by the speakers.

With the cost of sequencing your entire genome having fallen dramatically over the last decade, society is about to be confronted by a number of issues relating to the information we can glean from our DNA, and how it should be handled. Some of the potential benefits and pitfalls of sequencing were covered in a media briefing featuring several experts, which can be played back here.

A number of issues were picked up by the media. Coverage includes:

Stuff.co.nz: Gene knowledge empowers brokers

NZ Herald: Genomics could affect future court decisions

Otago Daily Times: Call to inform about genomics

Herald on Sunday: Bad genes don’t excuse crime