Ethical Aspects of Human Information Storage and Use - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages... The DNA databases are recognized by the police as one of the most powerful intelligence tools. The latent fingerprint analysis, have assisted in solving crimes like murders, rapes, assaults, and robberies etc. In response to the growing criticism, the authorities have stressed that the profiles held on files are used for no other purpose than to investigate a crime and it does not contain information about a person’s health or appearance. For a law abiding citizen, there should be no reluctance in giving the DAN. But some believe that these can prove highly discriminatory against particular individuals and groups being targeted. Other considerations are that who will prove that the samples will be destroyed and never misused. But the authorities believe that keeping records of the one’s who are arrested and never charged, would make it easier for them to arrest someone if they offended in future. Although the DNA of each individual is different, yet both the critics and supporters of its use in forensics agree that at times there can be a lack of standardization of practices and uniformly accepted methods of quality assurance. The main reason for this being the fact that private laboratories, using widely different methods, like the single-locus RFLP, multilocus RFLP and PCR, have begun offering their services to law enforcement agencies. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, the databanks, molecular weight markers match criteria and reporting method.
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forensics agree that at times there can be a lack of standardization of practices and uniformly

accepted methods of quality assurance. The main reason for this being the fact that private

laboratories, using widely different methods, like the single-locus RFLP, multilocus RFLP and

PCR, have begun offering their services to law enforcement agencies. Each method has its

advantages and disadvantages, the databanks, molecular weight markers match criteria and

reporting method.


In some courts there have been differences of opinion pertaining to the reliability, acceptability

and applicability of various methods, particularly the degree of their specificity or discriminating

power. Another reason resulting in this can be the lack of educational, appropriate training and

experience of some scientists and technicians who perform these tests, the proficiency tests

conducted internally and externally, the interpretations of the results and the approaches to

quality assurance.


In 1997, the DNA helped scientists clone the very first mammal, a sheep named Dolly, but soon

after its announcement a 3-5 year ban was imposed on human reproductive cloning on the basis

of ethical, religious and legal implications. From the ethical point of view, human cloning

according to some is an offence against God and against nature. According to this argument,

reproduction is solely God's domain.
But Kerry Lynch Macintosh (2005) explains that the mainstream scientists have become

interested in human cloning for research purposes ( research cloning). They believe that human

embryos can help them to learn more about genetic diseases, develop pharmaceutical treatments,

produce tissues for transplant and assist them in gene ...Download file to see next pagesRead More