Gamero Joaquín-Jose, Romero José-Luis, Peralta Juan-Luis, Corte-Real Francisco, Guillén Margarita, Anjos Maria-Joao
Faculty of Medicine, University of Cádiz, Spain.
Forensic Sci Int Genet. 2008 Mar;2(2):138-49. doi: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2007.10.201.
One of the issues that has resulted in much disagreement in many countries at different levels concerns the kind of institution that should be given the responsibility of exercising custody over biological samples and the DNA profiles obtained from these samples. In the field of forensic genetics, there is no doubt that the existence of DNA criminal databases benefits the control and investigation of crime. However, certain criticism, supported to a great extent by the particular vision of genetic exceptionalism has been aimed at the ethical and social consequences resulting from the inappropriate use of such databases. In this sense, it was stated that the support of the population was required for those regulations that propose the extension of police powers in the collection and storage of biological samples, as well as their corresponding DNA analyses. Without such backing, such measures may cause society to distrust the nature of the protection afforded by the legal system and be interpreted as interference in the civil liberties and human rights of the individual. We believe that the opinion poll which has been carried out among the Spanish population may serve to reveal the public attitudes/criteria which society has with regard to those institutions responsible for the custody of DNA profile databases. Finally, it must be pointed out that when the interviewees were asked about what institution or institutions should protect and maintain data confidentiality 59.7% considered that custody should remain in the hands of the National Agency for DNA Profiles (a judicially backed, autonomous public institution).
在许多国家的不同层面引发诸多分歧的问题之一，涉及应由何种机构负责保管生物样本以及从这些样本中获取的DNA图谱。在法医遗传学领域，毫无疑问，DNA犯罪数据库的存在有利于犯罪控制和调查。然而，在很大程度上受基因例外论这一特定观点支持的某些批评，针对的是不当使用此类数据库所带来的伦理和社会后果。从这个意义上讲，有人指出，对于那些提议扩大警方在收集和存储生物样本及其相应DNA分析方面权力的规定，需要民众的支持。没有这种支持，此类措施可能会导致社会不信任法律制度所提供保护的性质，并被解释为对个人公民自由和人权的干涉。我们认为，在西班牙民众中进行的民意调查可能有助于揭示社会对负责保管DNA图谱数据库的那些机构的公众态度/标准。最后，必须指出的是，当受访者被问及应由哪个或哪些机构保护和维护数据机密性时，59.7%的人认为保管权应掌握在国家DNA图谱机构（一个有司法支持的自治公共机构）手中。
