Why protect your genome?

When it comes to ‘data’, Facebook and its dealings with Cambridge Analytica and Russian bots highlight the “Butterfly-like” Effect when the worst thing that could happen, goes much further than the worst thing you can imagine happening. Algorithms psycho-analysing individuals on Facebook and catering adverts to trick them into buying something is one thing, influencing how they vote was never on the radar.

So, let’s extrapolate this on your most personal information, the blueprint that makes you specifically you. This is data that can be exploited in ways we cannot even imagine yet. This is more important to protect than your bank numbers, your social security numbers. In proving you are really you, nothing is more concrete proof than your genome. This is why we hypothesise your genome will become akin to your passport. Your true identification documentation. Without trying to scaremonger, let’s look at some of the ways this can be exploited.

Some examples:

• Synthesis of cells with your DNA being planted at crime scenes
• Refusal of health insurance because you are ‘at risk of heart disease’
• Being fired from a job because of your disease profile

All seem like science fiction, yet the technology exists for all 3 and real-world cases have begun springing up already.

So why even bother sequencing your genome, why open Pandora’s Box? The promise of personalised medicine is real and can vastly improve both the length of and the quality of your life. Did you know different people have different responses to drugs. If your body happens to metabolise a drug much faster than the average person’s, the effects will wear off much faster — something you don’t want to happen if you’re trying to avoid say, pain. The recommended dosage for all drugs is the average.

Wouldn’t it be great to know if you aren’t average? The good news is that this information is in your genome. Genomes.io can provide a world where your Dr or Physician can query your genome to provide accurate prescriptions, only of course, if you authorise them to query your genome.

If you’d like to learn more, participate in the $GENE public sale, or just shoot the breeze, join our Discord.