Will DNA become the next most valuable asset?

By Charalampos Karouzos,

Throughout human history, ranging from the Stone Age to the Industrial Revolution and beyond, the value of an asset was determined primarily by two factors: the scarcity and the economic potential of a product. Silver, gold, diamonds, and oil, all fall under the category of valuable assets fulfilling the criteria, however, the throne no longer belongs to them, as of 2017 as published by the Economist, personal data of users hold the leading spot. Contrary to public opinion, the drastic switch from a tangible item to a digital asset wasn’t unforeseen, skeptics from the early steps of the development of the current digital sphere, have demanded more light to be shed on the issue. However, concern has spiked in the last few years regarding the next most valuable asset, with an individual’s DNA being the most probable option. 

Blindly accepting the Terms and Conditions of every application, website, or online transaction, has become the norm for most of the public, as the repetitive need to accept cookies, along with the lengthy process required to carefully read the specific terms, runs contrary to the fast passed interned realm. However as online users are very aware, accepting cookies blindly, is not to be found without repercussions, ranging from a plethora of unwanted spam emails to very personalized and potentially intruding on privacy ads, based on the user’s most recent last Google search. Accepting these conditions allows large companies, primarily Google and Facebook, to sell the data collected from your profile to companies that can utilize them to establish a very narrow target audience, thus increasing sales. Nevertheless, personal data, although legally given to advertisement companies, hold great importance as their manipulation and handling require intense focus, bearing in mind that within the dataset lie the lives of genuine individuals. The presence of significant data breaches in the last years has further highlighted the need to establish stronger policies that would allow to strike a healthy balance between thriving digital markets and the ethical concern of individuality and security.  

DNA’s participation in the discussion regarding data collection and breaching may appear tangential, however, the unique accumulation of intraindividual data hidden inside a tiny molecule is the reason why skeptics have provoked scrutiny. DNA biologically, is the location where information for the creation of every molecule, cell, or protein an individual can produce is stored. Along with building information, scientists can extract a plethora of other data regarding both health and certain genetic predispositions for diseases the individual may have. The potential to extract such personal data and process them to establish the most appropriate treatment for each patient serves as the foundation of personalized medicine, a novel field with great potential to revolutionize Healthcare. Analysis of the unique aspects of each patient can assist not only in treating effectively but most importantly preventing well before the onset of symptoms of diseases that otherwise would be attributed to patient burden. The astonishing possibilities of DNA data usage highlight its uniqueness and sensitivity as the risk of unsafe handling of the data can be seen as a possible scenario for a dystopic future. 

An asset until recently was a material with objective value like gold or oil; personal data and especially DNA being used as assets, have raised numerous pivotal ethical questions regarding treating human information as another means of increasing one’s capital. DNA specifically has a unique nature of being a literal mirror to one’s existence, with the person being the single and only owner of the manual that describes themselves. Indeed, when the DNA of patients is needed for certain medical diagnostic procedures, its management is under very delicate handling, as potential breaches of the confidentiality of the data pave the way for misuse and exploitation of one’s existence. Having access to the genetic code of a person is far from simply extracting information from the social media profiles of users, as the extent of the ramifications of misuse is yet to be fully uncovered. In recent times, X, formerly known as Twitter, updated its data policy, collecting biometric information for “safety, security, and identification purposes”, failing to include the necessary details on how these data are going to be used by the company.  

Explaining the pivotal role of DNA as an emerging asset would be insufficient, suppose the trajectory of current and future biogenetic technologies were not presented. Although a field of great innovation with important papers being published daily, the one development that has ignited curiosity and prompted apprehension is undoubtedly CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. This particular model of gene editing allows the manipulation of the DNA of individuals to a previously unseen level, as scientists are now capable of altering genetic information selectively, thus reconstructing DNA to yield the desired outcome. Such a technology can be proven effective in curing genetic diseases of fetuses by altering the abnormality allowing them to experience an otherwise normal life. However, ethicists are worried that in the wrong hands, gene editing can be used as a means of “customizing” humans at our own will or even further exploiting people for their well-being. Allowing companies to have access to the DNA of people, is not only very profitable but most importantly the cornerstone to a dystopic alternative future. Indeed, recently, a 300-million-dollar transaction between DNA collecting company 23andMe and pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), for the usage of genetic information has been made; viewed as the first brushstroke of progress, painting a canvas of ethical dilemmas. 

Gold, silver, and oil have always been present throughout human history, being the key players hidden behind the scenes for many wars and conflicts. Personal data, however, have translocated this world into the digital sphere, with policymakers and international companies persistently locked in rivalry. DNA, on the other hand, appears as the novel asset over which dynamics would be even more unstable in the future. Indeed, throughout a series of evolutionary stages, humanity has progressively ascended the intellectual stairwell of comprehension and mastery within the domains of biology and science, but our acquisitions should be undertaken with caution, so as not to incur self-inflicted harm. As we delve deeper into the intricate realms of DNA and its potential applications, it becomes paramount to remember that while we unlock the mysteries of life, we must exercise prudence and ethical responsibility, lest we inadvertently play God with the very building blocks of our existence. 

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