Genome Sequencing's Affordable, and Frightful, Future - Businessweek

Will you be able to sequence your entire genome for less than $1,000 by 2017? Many experts believe this is realistic. The story linked below previews what we will find out when this becomes reality.

Genome Sequencing's Affordable, and Frightful, Future - Businessweek


New genetic discoveries are being made every week. Those discoveries will continue and the pace will accelerate. The appropriate use of this genetic information will become an increasingly important issue.

1. Will medical professionals be retrained to understand and use this information in personal treatment plans which will become possible when we know our personal disease risks and our personal reactions to specific drugs?

2. Who will have the right to request these tests?

3. Who will have access to the resulting information?

4. Who will store and possibly profit from the rapid growth of warehousing of genetic materials?

5. Who will benefit from the vast amount of intellectual property emerging from the digital databases built from individual genetic data?

The next couple of decades will be fascinating as our society wrestles with these and related questions.