Drugmakers Are Set to Pay 23andMe Millions to Access Consumer DNA

Re:Drugmakers Are Set to Pay 23andMe Millions to Access Cons... by _heimdall on Tuesday October 31, 2023 @07:48AM (#38083324)

I'm not sure that I follow. Whats wrong with insurance companies factoring in DNA markers to put people at risk of cancer or heart attack in a higher risk pool?

That's not a custom risk factor at the individual level. Its just using data they believe indicates risk to decide what larger pool the person gets put into.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Drugmakers Are Set to Pay 23andMe Millions to Access Cons... by polygamous_bat on Tuesday October 31, 2023 @08:34AM (#38083806)

You don’t even need DNA data do to that, just use race statistics to increase or decrease your premium! Or do you think that would be illegal?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Drugmakers Are Set to Pay 23andMe Millions to Access Cons... by concordDance on Tuesday October 31, 2023 @08:43AM (#38083901)

Companies use many forms of data to change premiums, many you don't have much control over (e.g. what area of the country you live in). Why is that wrong?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Drugmakers Are Set to Pay 23andMe Millions to Access Cons... by polygamous_bat on Tuesday October 31, 2023 @09:04AM (#38084207)

Because you can possibly change your address but not your race?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Drugmakers Are Set to Pay 23andMe Millions to Access Cons... by concordDance on Tuesday October 31, 2023 @09:20AM (#38084409)

You can change it in theory but if that's where your family, job, kids school, etc are? Then realistically you don't have a choice.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Drugmakers Are Set to Pay 23andMe Millions to Access Cons... by jjgreen on Tuesday October 31, 2023 @09:16AM (#38084358)

Combine that with race extracted from x-rays and AI ... https://www.nibib.nih.gov/news-events/newsroom/study-finds-a...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Drugmakers Are Set to Pay 23andMe Millions to Access Cons... by _heimdall on Tuesday October 31, 2023 @09:20AM (#38084407)

I don't know insurance law well enough to say if that's legally discrimination.

Now if you're asking me personally, I dislike the insurance industry in general. Insurance shouldn't be required, legally or otherwise. At that point insurance companies can use whatever data they want to price policies, as long as the terms are clear customers would actually have a choice whether they want insurance or not.

[ Parent | on HN ]