Protect Our Privacy! Say NO to DNA Biobank!

Protect Our Privacy! Say NO to DNA Biobank! 

Petition to Minnesota Legislature and Governor Mark Dayton 

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I, the undersigned citizen, oppose Senate File 745/House File 695 for these reasons:

• DNA and health data collected and used by State Government without consent: SF745/HF695 gives the state health department permission to collect, store, use and disseminate DNA, genetic information and medical records. Such activities would be exempt from the written consent requirements of the genetic privacy law.
• Government protected from lawsuits for violating genetic privacy law: The bill gives retroactive protection to the Minnesota Dept. of Health for longstanding collection, storage, use and sharing of biological specimens, DNA and data without legislative authority and without individual written consent as required by the genetic privacy law. Although MDH agreed in 2012 to present a report on all unauthorized activities, they have not done so. Instead, they presented this legislation to protect them from litigation.
• Authorized uses of DNA and data include: Licensure actions, inspections, diagnosis and confirmatory testing, Civil, administrative, or criminal investigations, newborn genetic screening research, audits, monitoring the health status of a population, preventing or controlling known or suspected diseases and injuries, conducting other activities to protect or improve the health of individuals and populations, and research. 
• Undoing the MN Supreme Court ruling on Baby DNA: The Senate bill would alter the court-ordered destruction date for newborn genetic test results, giving state officials and other proponents of state ownership of genetic information one more legislative session to try to keep the genetic test results of newborns in possession of the State.  
• State Ownership of Genetic Information:  Government will receive ownership claims on DNA and medical data and authority to use and share them in perpetuity. 

I hereby petition the Minnesota Legislature and Governor Dayton to not pass/enact HF695 / SF 745 allowing the creation of a DHS Biobank of genetic information.