Obama's Budget To Include $215M To Help Create Genomic Database

[jakeXT]

On Friday, President Obama announced plans to ask Congress for $215 million in funding in his fiscal year 2016 budget proposal for a personalized medicine initiative that centers around the creation of a massive database containing the genetic data of at least one million volunteer participants, the Washington Post reports.
Initiative Details

The White House said, "The Precision Medicine Initiative will leverage advances in genomics, emerging methods for managing and analyzing large data sets while protecting privacy, and health information technology to accelerate biomedical discoveries" (Jackson, USA Today, 1/30).

Of the $215 million in funding:

$131 million would go toward NIH to recruit at least one million volunteers and analyze their full genetic makeups, as well as expand clinical trials for possible cancer medications (Baker, National Journal, 1/30);
$70 million would go toward NIH's National Cancer Institute to further study genetic causes of cancers and use study findings to assist with drug development;
$10 million would go toward FDA to develop databases to help the agency create the regulatory structure for evaluating precision medicine advances (Clarke/Begley, Reuters, 1/30); and
$5 million would go toward the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT to help develop interoperability standards and policies to address privacy issues and help with secure data exchange across various systems (White House fact sheet, 1/30)

http://www.ihealthbeat.org/articles/2015/1/30/obamas-budget-to-include-215m-to-build-genomic-database

[mopinko]

1. i can hear the heads exploding.

i got 23andme kits for the family for xmas.
my one, somewhat paranoid, never met a conspiracy theory he didnt like, son was not pleased. he wont do it.

but i have already enrolled in a study through my university health care provider. i think it is super cool, just for the geekiness of it.
money well spent.

[jakeXT]

2. I think it's a consent issue, of course if you could get the DNA of all people you would get better

results.

Indiana storing blood & DNA of 2 million children without parents' consent


INDIANAPOLIS - As word of an Eyewitness News investigation spreads through Holliday Park, parents admit they are surprised.

"You're kidding, right? I had no idea," said Ramon Moore, playing catch with his 7-year-old son, Xavier.
"I didn't know that at all," agreed Holly Ruth, holding her 3-month old son, Lincoln.
"Nobody ever told me," echoed Mallory Ervin, chasing her 4-year-old son, Theo, on the playground.

Xavier, Lincoln, Theo and millions of other Indiana children all have something in common: the state of Indiana is storing their blood and DNA in an undisclosed state warehouse.

"I'm curious why they didn't share that," said Ervin. "It now makes me think ‘what are they hiding?' As a parent, I'd absolutely like to know."

13 Investigates has discovered the Indiana State Department of Health is holding the blood samples of more than 2.25 million Hoosier children – without their parents' permission. If your children were born in Indiana since 1991, chances are their blood and DNA is among the state's massive collection.


http://www.wthr.com/story/25954821/2014/07/07/your-childs-dna-who-has-it