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Genetic Privacy and Data Protection: A Review of Chinese Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Test Services
BACKGROUND: The existing literature has not examined how Chinese direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing providers navigate the issues of informed consent, privacy, and data protection associated with testing services. This research aims to explore these questions by examining the relevant document...
Autores principales: | , |
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Formato: | Online Artículo Texto |
Lenguaje: | English |
Publicado: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2020
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Materias: | |
Acceso en línea: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7205185/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32425986 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2020.00416 |
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author | Du, Li Wang, Meng |
author_facet | Du, Li Wang, Meng |
author_sort | Du, Li |
collection | PubMed |
description | BACKGROUND: The existing literature has not examined how Chinese direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing providers navigate the issues of informed consent, privacy, and data protection associated with testing services. This research aims to explore these questions by examining the relevant documents and messages published on websites of the Chinese DTC genetic test providers. METHODS: Using Baidu.com, the most popular Chinese search engine, we compiled the websites of providers who offer genetic testing services and analyzed available documents related to informed consent, the terms of services, and the privacy policy. The analyses were guided by the following inquiries as they applied to each DTC provider: the methods available for purchasing testing products; the methods providers used to obtain informed consent; privacy issues and measures for protecting consumers’ health information; the policy for third-party data sharing; consumers right to their data; and the liabilities in the event of a data breach. RESULTS: 68.7% of providers offer multiple channels for purchasing genetic testing products, and that social media has become a popular platform to promote testing services. Informed consent forms are not available on 94% of providers’ websites and a privacy policy is only offered by 45.8% of DTC genetic testing providers. Thirty-nine providers stated that they used measures to protect consumers’ information, of which, 29 providers have distinguished consumers’ general personal information from their genetic information. In 33.7% of the cases examined, providers stated that with consumers’ explicit permission, they could reuse and share the clients’ information for non-commercial purposes. Twenty-three providers granted consumer rights to their health information, with the most frequently mentioned right being the consumers’ right to decide how their data can be used by providers. Lastly, 21.7% of providers clearly stated their liabilities in the event of a data breach, placing more emphasis on the providers’ exemption from any liability. CONCLUSIONS: Currently, the Chinese DTC genetic testing business is running in a regulatory vacuum, governed by self-regulation. The government should develop a comprehensive legal framework to regulate DTC genetic testing offerings. Regulatory improvements should be made based on periodical reviews of the supervisory strategy to meet the rapid development of the DTC genetic testing industry. |
format | Online Article Text |
id | pubmed-7205185 |
institution | National Center for Biotechnology Information |
language | English |
publishDate | 2020 |
publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
record_format | MEDLINE/PubMed |
spelling | pubmed-72051852020-05-18 Genetic Privacy and Data Protection: A Review of Chinese Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Test Services Du, Li Wang, Meng Front Genet Genetics BACKGROUND: The existing literature has not examined how Chinese direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing providers navigate the issues of informed consent, privacy, and data protection associated with testing services. This research aims to explore these questions by examining the relevant documents and messages published on websites of the Chinese DTC genetic test providers. METHODS: Using Baidu.com, the most popular Chinese search engine, we compiled the websites of providers who offer genetic testing services and analyzed available documents related to informed consent, the terms of services, and the privacy policy. The analyses were guided by the following inquiries as they applied to each DTC provider: the methods available for purchasing testing products; the methods providers used to obtain informed consent; privacy issues and measures for protecting consumers’ health information; the policy for third-party data sharing; consumers right to their data; and the liabilities in the event of a data breach. RESULTS: 68.7% of providers offer multiple channels for purchasing genetic testing products, and that social media has become a popular platform to promote testing services. Informed consent forms are not available on 94% of providers’ websites and a privacy policy is only offered by 45.8% of DTC genetic testing providers. Thirty-nine providers stated that they used measures to protect consumers’ information, of which, 29 providers have distinguished consumers’ general personal information from their genetic information. In 33.7% of the cases examined, providers stated that with consumers’ explicit permission, they could reuse and share the clients’ information for non-commercial purposes. Twenty-three providers granted consumer rights to their health information, with the most frequently mentioned right being the consumers’ right to decide how their data can be used by providers. Lastly, 21.7% of providers clearly stated their liabilities in the event of a data breach, placing more emphasis on the providers’ exemption from any liability. CONCLUSIONS: Currently, the Chinese DTC genetic testing business is running in a regulatory vacuum, governed by self-regulation. The government should develop a comprehensive legal framework to regulate DTC genetic testing offerings. Regulatory improvements should be made based on periodical reviews of the supervisory strategy to meet the rapid development of the DTC genetic testing industry. Frontiers Media S.A. 2020-04-28 /pmc/articles/PMC7205185/ /pubmed/32425986 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2020.00416 Text en Copyright © 2020 Du and Wang. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. |
spellingShingle | Genetics Du, Li Wang, Meng Genetic Privacy and Data Protection: A Review of Chinese Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Test Services |
title | Genetic Privacy and Data Protection: A Review of Chinese Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Test Services |
title_full | Genetic Privacy and Data Protection: A Review of Chinese Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Test Services |
title_fullStr | Genetic Privacy and Data Protection: A Review of Chinese Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Test Services |
title_full_unstemmed | Genetic Privacy and Data Protection: A Review of Chinese Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Test Services |
title_short | Genetic Privacy and Data Protection: A Review of Chinese Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Test Services |
title_sort | genetic privacy and data protection: a review of chinese direct-to-consumer genetic test services |
topic | Genetics |
url | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7205185/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32425986 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2020.00416 |
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