Blockchain is a computer technology for distributed data storage based on a consensus mechanism. In the upsurge of blockchain, a variety of genetic blockchain projects have also appeared in the field of genetics, such as Nebula Genomics, founded by George Church, a well-known genetic giant. He is very consistent, and I am convinced by him. There are also many genetic testing companies in China, including Huada Gene and GeneKang, which have successively issued blockchain white papers. These kinds of companies provide users anonymous gene test services first, and they have a blockchain-enabled multiparty access control system that does not rely on any single trusted party, which lets users have full control of their gene data.
People need to dig out whether this technology has clear application scenarios and creates value for users. So the question is coming, what problem can the genetic blockchain help this industry, and what value does it create? There are many beautiful visions of various genetic blockchain projects, and the problems to be solved can be divided into two main categories: data attribution and privacy protection.
Data attribution
The business model of consumer-level genetic testing institutions making money from the database business, that is, genetic testing institutions sell large amounts of user data to scientific research institutions or pharmaceutical companies to obtain high returns. The user himself is probably ignorant of this and will not receive any benefit or compensation. But like Nebula Genomics,Genekang, etc, they also sell genetic data to institutions to obtain value, but it turns personal genetic data into something similar to patents, allowing users to enjoy the ownership and copyright of their own genome data. Obtain commercial value from its own genetic data assets. As the sole owner of the data, the user directly conducts data transactions with the buyer through virtual currency and authorizes the use, and no middleman makes the difference.
Privacy and security
In the field of genetic testing, user privacy is an inextricable topic. The leakage of genetic data may lead to genetic discrimination. Perhaps one day in the future, the bank will refuse your long-term loan application, because the data shows that before you repay the loan, you are likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and die; the same insurance company refuses to sell you insurance. The risk of genetic privacy leakage comes from two aspects, one is the theft of external hackers, and the other is the abuse within the genetic testing organization.
The gene test is totally anonymous, which means it won’t lead to the leakage of private information such as address, name, and phone. By using blockchain technology, the system is resistant to hacker intrusion and suitable for the safe storage of highly sensitive information. At the same time, the blockchain power confirmation technology facilitates the authorized use and traceability of data, and solves the hidden danger of data internal leakage.
But all coins have two sides. Is gene blockchain that ideal?
Decentralization?
First of all, the most essential feature of blockchain is “decentralization”. In fact, “decentralization” is difficult to achieve in the field of genes. Although those companies use the idea of bringing the sequencing algorithm to the data instead of collecting data for the algorithm, there is a high probability that data will be stored on the server of the data analysis center. In this case, the user’s data is not the only one stored on the blockchain. For those data backups outside the blockchain, the problems of data attribution and privacy security are still not resolved.
Fault tolerance
Another problem of gene blockchain is the problem of fault tolerance. If users deposit money in a bank, they lose account passwords and they can report them back in different ways. But if users lose the private keys of the gene blockchain, they can’t find them and get them back. For the same reason, if I am unlucky and my gene blockchain account gets hacked, I lose my data forever.
Ethical problems
The genetic blockchain project may also have some policy and ethical risks, which will bring uncertainty to the prospect of commercialization. The most intuitive question is whether users have the right to sell their genetic data freely? Because this behavior will leak the genetic privacy of their relatives to a certain extent. A person’s genetic information does not only belong to himself, but also affects relatives and future generations. Can medical data in scientific research be used publicly as long as the information such as name and ID number is hidden? The genetic testing data is different from the previous general medical data, and it is more sensitive. About 70 or 80 statistically independent SNP sites can be selected to uniquely identify a person. When genetic testing data meets some disease phenotype data, it is easy to match specific individuals, thereby infringing on personal privacy.
It is hoped that with the advancement of technology and the improvement of policy supervision, the current problems of the genetic blockchain can be gradually solved, and in the future, it will better create value for all human beings.