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23andMe Is Monetizing Your DNA the Way Facebook Monetizes 'Likes'

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Re: 23andMe Is Monetizing Your DNA the Way Facebook Monetizes 'Likes'

#41

Post by __a__ »

Is your DNA is now the "intellectual property" of a company?

The company sells rights to access sequence infromation from your DNA, i.e., their intellectual property, for up to 60 million.

Do you get any of that "up to 60 million"?

And why should you?

It's not like it's your DNA.

You sold it.

Well, actually you paid a fee to some company -- that has been threatened with being shut down by the FDA -- to take your DNA.

Who started this company? Ex-wife of Google founder.

According to Wikipedia the fee has jumped from $999 down to 99 then to 199.

So what's the service worth?

I don't know but I have a feeling it ends in 9.

Personal genomics is a great idea that has been around for a long time. Well before Google and Facebook.

But this company, applying "the Google approach" to biotech, was never a good idea.

That's only my opinion.

It's quite possible each of the 1 million or so donors was happy to donate their DNA "to science".

The issue I have with "the Google approach" is that the company is not doing much except collecting data and running cheap tests -- and of course marketing.

There's no world class research at 23andme. God only knows what they'll do with the money they get from selling people's personal information.

They are just middlemen, selling off people's personal information for a easy profit.

Very innovative.

Re: 23andMe Is Monetizing Your DNA the Way Facebook Monetizes 'Likes'

#43

Post by biomcgary »

krisdol wrote: post #34
aub3bhat wrote: post #6

So on one side journalists lament lack of new drug development & just the shoddy state of healthcare tech, while as soon as any new data that can potentially unlock new drug targets (23andMe) or provider better support (Google DeepMind Health) is introduced, Such efforts are quickly demonized with spread of Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. Rather than asking important questions such as at which level the "aggregate" data…

I just want to pay for a service or product and have that be the end of my interaction with the company as well as the end of the company's use, possession, and monetization of my data. When I buy a stick of gum I deprive the store of that stick of gum in exchange for money. On the Internet I'm purchasing something but the company gets to hold on to and share it indefinitely. It not only benefits from the money excha…

Your genetic data is nearly worthless, even to you, unless the aggregated database exists. The real cost is in the analysis and interpretation not the collection of the data. Thus, for your own benefit (i.e., clear knowledge of your genetic risks), they must monetize your data (i.e., find someone to pay them to perform the analysis, whether drug company or charity, e.g., American Heart Association). As long as they are up front about what they are doing and protecting your identity, your interests and theirs are fairly aligned. I know a study funded by a famous non-profit (you have heard of them, I am sure) that advances the field of study substantially, but it is not yet published (and I am not directly involved).

Re: 23andMe Is Monetizing Your DNA the Way Facebook Monetizes 'Likes'

#44

Post by chillingeffect »

Most people are missing that by only making this info available at market rates, rather than as a non-profit, it doesn't benefit the general good/public equally. It benefits incumbents asymmetrically.

Furthermore, by only collecting data from those with excess income, afflictions of the poor will remain less diagnosable.

There will be some trickle-down into poorer people, but if you think it "doesn't hurt to help people get healthier," try to see you're mainly helping wealthy people get wealthy people better. It's a slow-motion form of eugenics. We all know how well trickle-down theories work.

Re: 23andMe Is Monetizing Your DNA the Way Facebook Monetizes 'Likes'

#45

Post by coldtea »

aub3bhat wrote: post #6

So on one side journalists lament lack of new drug development & just the shoddy state of healthcare tech, while as soon as any new data that can potentially unlock new drug targets (23andMe) or provider better support (Google DeepMind Health) is introduced, Such efforts are quickly demonized with spread of Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. Rather than asking important questions such as at which level the "aggregate" data…

>while as soon as any new data that can potentially unlock new drug targets

Unlock new drug targets is a low bar. Unlock new affordable and publicly available, patent unencumbered drug targets is what we want.

Re: 23andMe Is Monetizing Your DNA the Way Facebook Monetizes 'Likes'

#46

Post by Retric »

nisa wrote: post #38
aub3bhat wrote: post #6

So on one side journalists lament lack of new drug development & just the shoddy state of healthcare tech, while as soon as any new data that can potentially unlock new drug targets (23andMe) or provider better support (Google DeepMind Health) is introduced, Such efforts are quickly demonized with spread of Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. Rather than asking important questions such as at which level the "aggregate" data…

I don't feel particularly happy seeing a private profit oriented corporation having the DNA data and the results of analysis for millions of people and establishing a market dealing with this data. In the end it's your life, your defects that could be on sale and determine your worth in a capitalist society. This is scary because you fate is determined by your birth and some algorithmus that may or may not be correct…

ADA already 'prevents' job based discrimination based on DNA.* https://www.ada.gov/

An employer buying DNA on potential job candidates is opening themselves up to a world of litigation for little real gain. Similarly, health insurance may no longer discriminate based on prior health conditions due to the dreaded 'Obama Care'.

We can debate if that's enough, or if these things should be rolled back. However, at a practical level it's currently a non issue.

PS: While most of this is not a significant disability. If people treat DNA condition X as an issue then it fall under "or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment. "

Re: 23andMe Is Monetizing Your DNA the Way Facebook Monetizes 'Likes'

#47

Post by binaryanomaly »

nolepointer wrote: post #9
binaryanomaly wrote: post #2

Would be better to link directly to the original article/source? http://gizmodo.com/of-course-23andmes-business-plan-has-been...

Yeah, and that article was published last year ...

Right. But still makes it to the top ;)

Re: 23andMe Is Monetizing Your DNA the Way Facebook Monetizes 'Likes'

#48

Post by krick »

a13n wrote: post #14

The data is anonymized, who cares? Good for 23andMe. We could learn very important things from that data in aggregate. We need more aggregated data in healthcare.

What do you mean "anonymized"? It's your DNA, it basically is you. Much more than your name, email address, or whatever you consider de-anonimization.

Re: 23andMe Is Monetizing Your DNA the Way Facebook Monetizes 'Likes'

#49

Post by coldtea »

biomcgary wrote: post #43
krisdol wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just want to pay for a service or product and have that be the end of my interaction with the company as well as the end of the company's use, possession, and monetization of my data. When I buy a stick of gum I deprive the store of that stick of gum in exchange for money. On the Internet I'm purchasing something but the company gets to hold on to and share it indefinitely. It not only benefits from the money excha…

Your genetic data is nearly worthless, even to you, unless the aggregated database exists. The real cost is in the analysis and interpretation not the collection of the data. Thus, for your own benefit (i.e., clear knowledge of your genetic risks), they must monetize your data (i.e., find someone to pay them to perform the analysis, whether drug company or charity, e.g., American Heart Association). As long as they a…

>Your genetic data is nearly worthless, even to you, unless the aggregated database exists.

It's not about stealing from X or Y individual -- it's about privatizing and locking down an immensely useful and valuable global resource -- that "aggregated database".

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