UC Berkeley Genetics Controversy
BERKELEY, Calif. (KCBS)_ UC Berkeley is dropping a portion of its genetic testing program for incoming students at the direction of the California Department of Public Health.
A program called, On the Same Page, aims to have all incoming students arrive at UC Berkeley with knowledge of a common intellectual subject. Usually it revolves around discussion of a book or video sent to incoming students.
This year they named the program, Bring Your Genes to Cal, and sent students a genetic testing kit promising to give them personalized results followed by discussions, which has sparked outrage.
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Jeremy Gruber is president of The Council for Responsible Genetics has spoken out on this sudden controversy.
"The university should not have been approaching students in this way in the first place, said Gruber.
Gruber added that the just-admitted students, who have been given little to no information about genetic testing and the potential for its misuse wouldn't have enough information on whether to participate.
Jasper Rine, a Cal professor of genetics, genomics, and development, says the public health department handed down a ruling in this case.
"The California D.P.H. said that there is no problem as long as we don't report back the individual genetic data to any student but give them only the aggregate data. We will be able to teach somewhat less," commented Rine.
Professor Rine says thus begins the first genetics lesson on the political, ethical and social implications of DNA testing.
