Everyone will be counted

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation has developed a bill “On state genomic registration in the Russian Federation,” writes Kommersant. The bill is consistent with the plans of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to create a unified national database of genomic information of Russians. The bill provides for two types of genomic registration: mandatory (forced) and voluntary. The genetic characteristics of those convicted of serious and especially serious crimes will be entered into the genomic data bank without fail; biological traces of unidentified persons involved in the crime; close relatives of missing persons; unidentified corpses. The plans of the Ministry of Internal Affairs have already raised serious doubts among doctors, biologists and church representatives - fears are related to the fact that genetic information can be used against citizens. “Genetic information is actually a medical secret, which, I am sure, will not be protected reliably enough in our country,” fears Vera Izhivskaya, an employee of the Medical Genetic Research Center of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.