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J Med Ethics 2007;33:598-604 doi:10.1136/jme.2006.016998
  • Law, ethics and medicine

Spanish public awareness regarding DNA profile databases in forensic genetics: what type of DNA profiles should be included?

  1. Joaquín J Gamero1,
  2. Jose-Luis Romero1,
  3. Juan-Luis Peralta2,
  4. Mónica Carvalho3,
  5. Francisco Corte-Real3
  1. 1
    Department of Legal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
  2. 2
    Dpt of Statistical and Operational Research, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
  3. 3
    Institute of Legal Medicine of Portugal, Coimbra, Portugal
  1. Joaquín J Gamero, Dpt Medicina Legal, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cádiz, Plz Fragela s/n, Cádiz 11003, Spain; joaquin.gamero{at}uca.es
  • Received 26 April 2006
  • Revised 22 November 2006
  • Accepted 28 November 2006

Abstract

The importance of non-codifying DNA polymorphism for the administration of justice is now well known. In Spain, however, this type of test has given rise to questions in recent years: (a) Should consent be obtained before biological samples are taken from an individual for DNA analysis? (b) Does society perceive these techniques and methods of analysis as being reliable? (c) There appears to be lack of knowledge concerning the basic norms that regulate databases containing private or personal information and the protection that information of this type must be given. This opinion survey and the subsequent analysis of the results in ethical terms may serve to reveal the criteria and the degree of information that society has with regard to DNA databases. In the study, 73.20% (SE 1.12%) of the population surveyed was in favour of specific legislation for computer files in which DNA analysis results for forensic purposes are stored.

Footnotes

  • Competing interests: None declared.

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