Topic: Privacy of Personal Genetic Information
Country: France
Delegate Name: Aaron Pollack
School: Saline High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All France position papers GLIMUN 2010 committees
With the completion of the Human Genome Project, it is now possible to map an entire human genome. Genetic information of humans has now become more readily available, and more easily processed. France believes that the United Nations should pass resolutions the protect one's private genetic information.
We the French Republic believe that the protection of personal information is of the highest importance. Specifically, information relating to one's health or personal life (including genetic information). We believe that this information should be kept private and should only be gathered, processed, or released in the full knowledge of the data subject and for legitimate reason or legal obligation only. We believe that processors of genetic information, and those that have access to it (i.e. doctors etc.) should be required to keep genetic information confidential, accept when he or she is legally obligated to disclose it, or at the express permission of the data subject, or for the data subject's own good. France further believes that the party controlling the processing of genetic information should be liable for any damage resulting from illegal disclosure or processing of said data. We further believe that the data subject should have the right to refuse the gathering, processing, and/ or disclosure of personal genetic information. the data subject should also have the right to access the information relating to the processing of his or her genetic information. Finally, France believes that appropriate safeguards should be put in place to maintain the secrecy and confidentiality of private genetic information.
