AndyJoy Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 My husband scored well in the Duke TIP 7th grade Talent Search. He just got a letter asking him to send a cheek swab DNA sample because they are conducting research on "genetic markers associated with high levels of intellectual fuctioning as well as those associated with developmental delays." They received a grant from the John Templeton Foundation for this research. I'm curious--has anyone else been contacted, and are you going to participate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenS Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 How on earth did they find him after all these years? I would be very curious if this was legit or a scam, I'd probably be too paranoid to participate. (Not that they could find women as easily, considering surname changes and moving and all that.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 It was mailed to his childhood address, and his parents forwarded it. From looking on the Internet, it appears to be legitimate. We're supposed to send a form back to have the swab kit sent to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2cents Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 I'd be suspicious. Unless I had concrete evidence it was not a scam I wouldn't be giving any saliva samples. Even if it wasn't a scam, I wouldn't send samples via the mail. It sounds very risky to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RanchGirl Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 I would want to know and give serious consideration to what they are doing with it, will his name be attached, etc. They would now own that information about your husband and therefore, information about your children as well. Personally, I wouldn't do it because I don't like the idea that my DNA is in a database somewhere, and it's always somehow traceable to you eventually and they are always merging databases, renting out the info for other researchers, etc. I *freaked* when I learned that the hospitals take our kids' DNA at birth and keep it on record with the state and that the info is in a database (which they are now calling for merging with other databases into one big national databank) forever, as well as given out to research companies. All without any parental notification whatsoever... totally immoral and in our state (Minnesota), illegal, but that doesn't stop them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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