Shambhavi Naik quoted in ThePrint on human genomes data

Shambhavi Naik, Head of Research and chairperson of the Advanced Biology programme at Takshashila Institution was quoted in ThePrint on ethical and national security considerations around human genomes data. She was quoted as saying,

“Any access to human data from India — be it for academic or commercial purposes — should require HSMC clearance. This is particularly true for whole sample collection, which can provide the recipient a whole host of information,” said Naik.

She added: “The reasons for an HMSC clearance and approval are beyond scientific integrity and business. Given the powerful information that DNA can provide, there are national security concerns that need to be addressed. The HSMC regulations need to be clarified if unclear language is leading companies to conveniently interpret the policy for their purposes.”

Read the full report here.