Your Privacy is in Jeopardy with Take-at-Home Kits
Millions of Americans received take-at-home ancestry tests for the holidays. It seems like a fun, trivial, or even potentially beneficial gift, but there are layers of potential dangers beneath the pretty wrapping paper.
While we’ve advocated a few times that home tests aren’t smart. They can be used in scams or identity theft. Your information can be sold to big med start-ups. Not to mention, they don’t always give factual information. But this new perspective should steer you away from ever using any take-at-home test!
Sonia Suter, a law professor and bioethicist at George Washington University says “The data (in de-identified form) can be used to refine a company’s analysis or to be shared with other companies for purposes of research about ancestry, traits, and disease.”
She continues to say that while federal laws protect the privacy of medical data, these laws only apply to “health care providers, health plans, health care clearinghouses and business associates of these groups.” They do not apply to direct-to-consumer companies like at-home ancestry tests. Home tests have no laws regulating the use of your medical information!
At DNA Paternity Testing, you can rest assured that your results are safe with us! We use extreme measures to keep your medical information secure, especially with our home kits. We train all our staff on all HIPAA compliance policies and ensuring that all tests and counseling remain confidential. We never sell or release your information except if needed to comply with HIPAA standards.
DNA Paternity Testing provides rock-solid answers to important questions like parentage and ancestry. With over 2,000 centers nationwide, DNA Paternity Testing Centers is one of the largest, most affordable, networks of accredited DNA testing labs in the United States. Our price is unbeatable without sacrificing quality. We offer DNA testing for paternity, maternity and all other relationships (grandparents, siblings, aunts/uncles). Call us today at 866.944.9546 or ORDER ONLINE!
