Fears that sensitive genetic and health data will not be kept securely may be slowing recruitment to a medical research project designed to help further understanding of how to tackle deadly medical conditions.

Only one in 10 are signing up after receiving a letter inviting them to take part in the UK Biobank project. A report seen by the Guardian suggests that “security is likely to be a key decisive consideration for potential participants”.

The report, commissioned by the Biobank ethics and governance council, shows that members of the public fear information from their medical records, together with blood and urine samples they give, will be shared with private companies, and they are particularly opposed to the possibility that it may be passed to organisations overseas.

Source: Guardian article

Jacqui Smith has announced … the government will immediately begin to remove the DNA of children under 10 - the age of responsibility - from the database. … The consultation will address issues including: varying the timescale of detaining DNA evidence depending on the seriousness of the offence and possibly the age and risk of the individual; re-examining the retention arrangements for DNA samples; and ensuring police can retrospectively take samples for a longer period after conviction and from those convicted overseas.
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She also said a consultation will be held on the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa), covering: a revision of the relevant codes of practice; which public authorities can use Ripa powers; and how those powers are authorised.
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Smith said. “I don’t want to see these powers being used to target people for putting their bins out on the wrong day, for dog fouling offences, or to check whether paper boys are carrying sacks that are too heavy.”

Source: Kable

Two British men should not have had their DNA and fingerprints retained by police, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled. The men’s information was held by South Yorkshire Police, although neither was convicted of any offence. The judgement could have major implications on how DNA records are stored in the UK’s national database.

Source: BBC News
More details: European Court of Human Rights press release

The case for the national DNA database has been undermined by figures showing that the addition of millions of profiles in the past six years has not increased the number of crimes solved by DNA evidence. Figures show that for the past six years the number of crimes solved using DNA evidence has remained static at between 0.34 and 0.36 per cent - about one in 300 of all recorded crimes. … Over the same period the number of people’s whose identity was on the national DNA database more than doubled in size from 1.9million people to 4.1million.

Source: The Telegraph

The plan would see the details of one in six of the adult population contained on the database by 2012. The DNA database currently has 4.1million profiles on it, with 15,000 profiles being added every week. … Samples can be taken from anyone over 18 who comes into contact with the police, as an offender or a witness. Records are rarely deleted, even if a person is not charged. … Peers inflicted a second defeat on the Government’s controversial Counter-Terrorism Bill by voting to help innocent people have their fingerprints and DNA deleted from national databases. … Regulations on the guidelines would need to be approved by both Houses of Parliament, the amendment stated. The Government is expected to try to overturn the amendment in the Commons.

Source: The Telegraph