Human Genome Diversity Project - Potential Problems

Potential Problems

Denouncing the project since its outset, some indigenous communities, NGOs, and human rights organizations have objected to the HGDP's goals based on perceived issues of scientific racism, colonialism, biocolonialism (patenting), informed consent and the prospect of biological warfare.

Racism

The Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration (ETC Group) has been a major critic of the HGDP, speculating that issues of racism and stigmatization could occur should the HGDP be completed. One major concern with the research project that they have put forward has been the potential for racism in certain countries resulting from HGDP data. They feel that when governments are armed with genetic data linked to certain racial groups, those governments might deny human rights based on this genetic data. For example, countries could define races purely in genetic terms and deny a certain person right(s) based on their lack of conformity to a certain race's genetic model.

Uneven Application

Eight of nine DNA groups under Ctrl/South category belong to Pakistan even though India is in the same group with about 7 times the population of Pakistan and with racial diversities many times over. However, it is noteworthy that Rosenberg et al. found that the sampled Pakistani populations are more genetically diverse than 15 Indian populations that were explicitly compared

Use of Genetic Data for Non-medical Purposes

Use of HGDP genetic materials for non-medical purposes purposes not agreed to by indigenous donors, especially purposes that create possibilities for human rights violations. For example, Kidd et al. described the use of DNA samples from indigenous populations to explore a forensic identification capability based on ethnic origins.

Creating Artificial Genetic Distinctions

Anthropologist Jonathan M. Marks has stated that: "As any anthropologist knows, ethnic groups are categories of human invention, not given by nature." Some indigenous peoples have refused to take part in the HGDP due to concerns about misuse of the data: "In December, a World Council of Indigenous Peoples in Guatemala repudiated the HGDP."

Alternative approaches

In 1995, the National Research Council (NRC) issued its recommendations on the HGDP. The NRC endorsed the concept of diversity research, also pointing out some concerns with the HGDP procedure. The NRC report suggested alternatives such as doing sampling anonymously (i.e., sampling genetic data without tying it to specific racial groups). While such approaches would eliminate the concerns discussed above (regarding racism, weapons development, etc.), it would also prevent researchers from achieving many of the benefits that were to be gained from the project.

Some members of the Human Genome Project (HGP) argued in favor of engaging in diversity research on data gleaned from the Human Genome Diversity Project, although most agreed that diversity research should be done by the HGP and not as a separate project.

A number of the principal collaborators with the HGDP have been involved in the privately-funded Genographic Project launched in April 2005 with similar aims.