Hospital keeps secret DNA file

Children’s University hospital in Temple Street is under investigation by the Data Protection Commissioner

A DUBLIN hospital has built a database containing the DNA of almost every person born in the country since 1984 without their knowledge in an apparent breach of data protection laws.

The Children’s University hospital in Temple Street is under investigation by the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) since The Sunday Times discovered it has a policy of indefinitely keeping blood samples taken to screen newborn babies for diseases.

Unknown to the DPC, the hospital has amassed 1,548,300 blood samples from “heel pr*ick tests” on newborns which are sent to it for screening, creating, in effect, a secret national DNA database. The majority of hospitals act on implied or verbal consent and do not inform parents what happens to their child’s sample.

The blood samples are stored at room temperature on cards with information including the baby’s name, address, date of birth, hospital of birth and test result. The DPC said it was shocked at the discovery.

Hospital keeps secret DNA file - Times Online


This is happening everywhere:


Isabel’s mother Annie Brown was confused when she was told by health authorities that her daughter had a gene that put her at risk for cystic fibrosis, because she had never consented for genetic testing to be carried out on her child.

Ms Brown then learned that genetic testing of all newborn babies is routine in every state, and that DNA is kept indefinitely by the government, without parents ever knowing.

“We were appalled when we found out,” says Brown, who’s a registered nurse. “Why do they need to store my baby’s DNA indefinitely? Something on there could affect her ability to get a job later on, or get health insurance.”

Newborns’ DNA Routinely Harvested For Government Bio Banks

i don't see the fuss ,its not like their experimenting with the DNA or anything, everyones DNA will be on a database soon ,if you have nothing to hide why should it be a problem

maybe I wouldn't have a problem with it if they asked for consent and if it was anonymous.

But this is storing DNA without consent and with your name and details.

Like the lady said what if your child has a gene for schizophrenia? - will this have consequences for securing health insurance or employment in the future?

And I would like to have some clarification on what it is exactly they use this DNA database for.