The potential dark side of genetics

For $1,000, you soon will be able to purchase the text of your own DNA -- the unique sequence of your genetic inheritance. You can get the information, that is, unless you're Russian. President Vladimir Putin has just announced a ban on the export of all human medical biological materials. He is worried that his citizens' genetic data could enable Western scientists to make ethnic-specific biological weapons for use against Russians.

These two unrelated developments, reported almost simultaneously in recent days, speak volumes about modern bioscience and the emerging security paradox that humanity faces.

On one hand, with your own genetic sequence, you (or your physician) could check your genetic profile whenever a new genetic link to disease is discovered. Are you at a particular risk for cancer or Alzheimer's disease? Your DNA will not tell you if you have a disease, but it can tell you whether you should be tested. If you have a higher genetic risk of diabetes, you might want to pay close attention to your sugar intake.

As more conditions are linked...