Should every baby's DNA be sequenced? • Hacker News Board

Re: Should every baby's DNA be sequenced?

#91

Post by boxed » Wed, Jul 01, 2026, 7:21 AM UTC

Balgair wrote: post #65

boxed wrote: post #48

The negative comments against genetic screening here seems to be 100% from people who either have no serious genetic diseases lurking in their family tree or are lying to themselves and pretending they don't.

I have close friends that has quite serious genetic diseases in the family, ones they passed on to their children too. In that, they are in and out of the hospital all the time. And yes, the disease is degenerative. I know that they went out of their way to a company that does not store genetic info for their sequencing. In talking with them, they are also very against any form of this screening. The risks of the dis…

Universal screening is not the same as focused screening for a family with a known issue and then screening gametes for IVF though. I think it's the last part that some people scream "eugenics!" at and draw parallels to the nazis. This is what I'm against.

Re: Should every baby's DNA be sequenced?

#92

Post by boxed » Wed, Jul 01, 2026, 7:22 AM UTC

sometimelurker wrote: post #78

boxed wrote: post #48

The negative comments against genetic screening here seems to be 100% from people who either have no serious genetic diseases lurking in their family tree or are lying to themselves and pretending they don't.

I don't think it should be mandatory but ofc it should exist; people should be able to choose.

Many people think it shouldn't be and that any interference in the germ line like this is eugenics and by association evil.

Re: Should every baby's DNA be sequenced?

#93

Post by tsoukase » Wed, Jul 01, 2026, 9:27 AM UTC

sometimelurker wrote: post #84

tsoukase wrote: post #83

At least in my country a blood sample is taken from every newborn to test for specific preventable genetic diseases (eg phenyl-ketonuria). A baby will become a powerful adult after 30 years, when their DNA info might become valuable (for forensic, health, research or other reasons). It's a long time for the investment to return. Why not sequence all people's DNA now, obligatory by law. All that it's needed is a littl…

> not sequence all people's DNA While the people in power yesterday/today might not abuse databases of their entire population's DNA, those of today/tomorrow might. In the long-run, of 10y,20y, 50+y, you cannot guarantee this information will not be used for extreme harm. This is different that vaccines. Not everyone can be vaccinated, so to ensure that everyone is protected, everyone must be vaccinated. DNA sequenci…

Greece. They test for congenital hypothyroidism (which leads to cretinism) too.

DNA info is not so much of value as it sounds. Genetic testing has very poor results and therapy is almost non existent. If they (govs and orgs) could extract value, they would make it mandatory for all, like fingerprint and face photo.

Re: Should every baby's DNA be sequenced?

#94

Post by eru » Wed, Jul 01, 2026, 10:20 AM UTC

trollbridge wrote: post #72

nedruod wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, you can imagine it, but you should be able to imagine better solutions too. Far easier to ask for a government ID, or better yet, have a third party, which is trusted, use a cross-check, so that the raw data is never shared, just a binary, yes/no to the age check. If we only imagine the bad outcomes, we'll miss on many good ones. And part of those misses will be worse bad outcomes. For example, if you object to…

I really don’t want to be forced to contract with a third party in order to do basic things like be able to buy something in a store.

I guess you don't like paying with a credit card?

Re: Should every baby's DNA be sequenced?

#95

Post by Ekaros » Wed, Jul 01, 2026, 10:36 AM UTC

general1465 wrote: post #68

Go ahead and you will cause a massive uproar with untold damage to society when fathers will figure out that a lot of babies are not theirs. One of the reason why private paternity tests are illegal in France.

Interestingly if sufficient information is stored it would solve the problem. Cost of children would be directly pointed at the biological father. Thus not enslaving the cheated man for massive cost. Vulnerable must be protected from those with power of the system behind them.

Re: Should every baby's DNA be sequenced?

#96

Post by arghwhat » Thu, Jul 02, 2026, 8:16 AM UTC

laszlokorte wrote: post #66

arghwhat wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have previously had to install simple things like doorbells for deaf people, which is done through a very strobe light that can be seen from almost the entire apartment... if you're not behind a closed door at least. The idea of it being genuinely difficult for a person to be warned or notified is terrifying. Put your phone in your bag and you might as well have left it at home. Honking, people yelling or screaming…

Then maybe install the strobe lights in all important rooms? Most people have there phone on silent/vibration anyway and recently everybody uses noise-canceling headphones outside to not be bothered by other people... All the infrastructure that would support deaf people (like additional signal lights, vibration signals, subtitles...) are also very helpful for everybody else in specific situations. Everybody is handi…

> Then maybe install the strobe lights in all important rooms

What are important rooms?

> Most people have there phone on silent/vibration anyway and recently everybody uses noise-canceling headphones outside to not be bothered by other people...

> Everybody is handicapped part of the time

A phone on silent still blasts public safety warnings at full volume. A phone on vibrate can still be heard. Noise-cancelling headphones still let the outside through at a lower volume.

Very different scenario.