The University of California, Berkeley will not release personal genetic information to incoming students who participated in an orientation program about genetics. The program “Bring Your Genes to Cal” was criticised by the California Department of Public Health because state law prohibits gene testing outside a medical setting.

Mark Schlissel, dean of biological sciences, said he disagreed with the department’s ruling that advance approval for testing was required from physicians, and that the testing should be done in clinical labs with special licences rather than by university technicians. He also argued that the project should be exempted from the state rules because it was an educational exercise.

Privacy advocates and ethicists had criticised the test as a disturbing use of genetic data. Some students felt that they were being quietly coerced into participating, and that their saliva samples and resulting personal information would not be sufficiently protected. ~ LA Times, Aug 13