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DNA ancestry tests might solve some personal curiosity - but are they gifting a treasure trove of data to third parties?
Professor Peter Dearden, from the Department of Biochemstry at the University of Otago, and Director of Genomics Aotearoa, says a growing number of people are choosing home test kits through the likes of ancestry.com or 123andme.com, without understanding the consequences.
He says most people regard dna kits as entertainment and are unaware that their data could be sold to third parties - including insurance companies which could then deny coverage.
Professor Dearden says New Zealand's legal framework needs to provide clearer guidelines on what is private and what is not.
Genomics Aotearoa is hosting a series of free public talks tonight at the Otago Museum.