Ethical considerations for DNA testing as a proxy for nationality

Valedie Oray; Sara H. Katsanis

doi:10.1080/11287462.2021.1896454

Ethical considerations for DNA testing as a proxy for nationality

Valedie Oray, Sara H. Katsanis^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Pediatrics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

As nations strengthen borders and restrict refugee admissions, national security officials are screening for fraudulent nationality claims. One tool to investigate nationality claims is DNA testing, either for claimed relationships or for ancestral origins. At the same time, the plight of global statelessness leaves millions without documentation of their nationality, and DNA testing might be the only recourse to provide evidence of heritage or relationships. DNA testing has been used sparsely to date to determine ancestral origin as a proxy for nationality but could increase as border controls tighten. Given the historic lessons in eugenics and the potential for misuse of personal genetic information, it is essential to consider the ethical parameters in order to guide the implementation of genetic data for such purposes. Here, we break down examples of the use of DNA testing for nationality, and the risks and benefits of genetic testing for this purpose. Important ethical considerations discussed include (1) empowerment of stateless individuals with evidence for citizenship proceedings; (2) imprecise correlation between genetic heritage and nationality; (3) effective protection of state interests; and (4) practicalities of DNA testing.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	51-66
Number of pages	16
Journal	Global Bioethics
Volume	32
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/11287462.2021.1896454
State	Published - 2021

Keywords

DNA testing
Statelessness
ancestry
border policy
immigration

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Health(social science)
Philosophy
Health Policy

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1080/11287462.2021.1896454

Cite this

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title = "Ethical considerations for DNA testing as a proxy for nationality",

abstract = "As nations strengthen borders and restrict refugee admissions, national security officials are screening for fraudulent nationality claims. One tool to investigate nationality claims is DNA testing, either for claimed relationships or for ancestral origins. At the same time, the plight of global statelessness leaves millions without documentation of their nationality, and DNA testing might be the only recourse to provide evidence of heritage or relationships. DNA testing has been used sparsely to date to determine ancestral origin as a proxy for nationality but could increase as border controls tighten. Given the historic lessons in eugenics and the potential for misuse of personal genetic information, it is essential to consider the ethical parameters in order to guide the implementation of genetic data for such purposes. Here, we break down examples of the use of DNA testing for nationality, and the risks and benefits of genetic testing for this purpose. Important ethical considerations discussed include (1) empowerment of stateless individuals with evidence for citizenship proceedings; (2) imprecise correlation between genetic heritage and nationality; (3) effective protection of state interests; and (4) practicalities of DNA testing.",

keywords = "DNA testing, Statelessness, ancestry, border policy, immigration",

author = "Valedie Oray and Katsanis, {Sara H.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Human Genome Research Institute under grant R01HG009923. The authors thank the Duke faculty for advising this project, including Suzanne Shanahan and Charmaine Royal. A special thank you to Karin M?chler for her work representing stateless persons in their citizenship aspirations and for bringing an example case to our attention. The authors wish to thank Carlos Bustamante and Aashish Jha for their work in analyzing genetic information (not presented here), and Armani Porter for research on tribal membership examples. A thank you to the anonymous individuals that agreed to use their 23andMe data as examples for Figure 1. We would also like to acknowledge the millions of migrants globally who seek identity and rights within their communities though they lack nationality. Every voice should count. Their endeavors can shine a light on statelessness, prompting conversations regarding the responsible use of genetic information. We would like to thank the 23andMe participants and employees of 23andMe for making this work possible. Participants provided informed consent to use their results. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.",

year = "2021",

doi = "10.1080/11287462.2021.1896454",

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N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Human Genome Research Institute under grant R01HG009923. The authors thank the Duke faculty for advising this project, including Suzanne Shanahan and Charmaine Royal. A special thank you to Karin M?chler for her work representing stateless persons in their citizenship aspirations and for bringing an example case to our attention. The authors wish to thank Carlos Bustamante and Aashish Jha for their work in analyzing genetic information (not presented here), and Armani Porter for research on tribal membership examples. A thank you to the anonymous individuals that agreed to use their 23andMe data as examples for Figure 1. We would also like to acknowledge the millions of migrants globally who seek identity and rights within their communities though they lack nationality. Every voice should count. Their endeavors can shine a light on statelessness, prompting conversations regarding the responsible use of genetic information. We would like to thank the 23andMe participants and employees of 23andMe for making this work possible. Participants provided informed consent to use their results. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

PY - 2021

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N2 - As nations strengthen borders and restrict refugee admissions, national security officials are screening for fraudulent nationality claims. One tool to investigate nationality claims is DNA testing, either for claimed relationships or for ancestral origins. At the same time, the plight of global statelessness leaves millions without documentation of their nationality, and DNA testing might be the only recourse to provide evidence of heritage or relationships. DNA testing has been used sparsely to date to determine ancestral origin as a proxy for nationality but could increase as border controls tighten. Given the historic lessons in eugenics and the potential for misuse of personal genetic information, it is essential to consider the ethical parameters in order to guide the implementation of genetic data for such purposes. Here, we break down examples of the use of DNA testing for nationality, and the risks and benefits of genetic testing for this purpose. Important ethical considerations discussed include (1) empowerment of stateless individuals with evidence for citizenship proceedings; (2) imprecise correlation between genetic heritage and nationality; (3) effective protection of state interests; and (4) practicalities of DNA testing.

AB - As nations strengthen borders and restrict refugee admissions, national security officials are screening for fraudulent nationality claims. One tool to investigate nationality claims is DNA testing, either for claimed relationships or for ancestral origins. At the same time, the plight of global statelessness leaves millions without documentation of their nationality, and DNA testing might be the only recourse to provide evidence of heritage or relationships. DNA testing has been used sparsely to date to determine ancestral origin as a proxy for nationality but could increase as border controls tighten. Given the historic lessons in eugenics and the potential for misuse of personal genetic information, it is essential to consider the ethical parameters in order to guide the implementation of genetic data for such purposes. Here, we break down examples of the use of DNA testing for nationality, and the risks and benefits of genetic testing for this purpose. Important ethical considerations discussed include (1) empowerment of stateless individuals with evidence for citizenship proceedings; (2) imprecise correlation between genetic heritage and nationality; (3) effective protection of state interests; and (4) practicalities of DNA testing.

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Ethical considerations for DNA testing as a proxy for nationality

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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