GENETIC TESTS OFFERED BY THE INTERNET A THREAT TO THE SECURITY OF CITIZENS

More and more often on the Internet you can meet with genetic tests offered by private entities, without the mediation of a medical institution. Threats related to genetic testing involve inadequate protection of patient data. The procedure of collecting and sending biological material may be associated with irregularities, such as: lack of informed consent of the examined person, the possibility of abuse of material secretly from unaware persons, indefinite storage time of genetic material and patients data after the tests. The results of genetic tests allow diagnosis of diseases, allow to determine inherited traits, individual identification, have medical, social and psychological consequences, can be helpful in estimating insurance risk, creditworthiness or fitness for work. Genetic information should be protected in a special way. In Poland, there are no regulations that comprehensively regulate the area of genetic testing. It is important to increase the awareness of the risks to which potential customers of companies offering these services via the Internet are exposed.