dynamic elf - Does my baby have human DNA?

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Does my baby have human DNA?

Jul. 14th, 2005 at 7:05 PM

So, I was creating a baby registry at target.com (sigh) when I came across the CATGee DNA Storage and Profile Kit in their Baby "Health and Safety" category:

Prove how truly unique you are with this fascinating CATGee DNA Storage and Profile Kit. DNA samples taken today may offer significant benefits for future medical research and this kit offers a safe, easy-to-use and detailed way to take and store your own DNA sample. Each pack includes a DNA storage kit, DNA profile request pack and detailed instructions. Just swipe the inside of your cheek with a sterile swab and apply the swab to the storage card. Watch as the card changes color to indicate your DNA has been successfully transferred. Then seal it up in the airtight self-sealing pouch to stabilize your DNA and prevent other agents from destroying or corrupting it. Want more detailed information? Take a second swab and send it in for analysis. Your unique DNA code and image will be sent to you within 45 days. Analysis of second swab requires an additional fee. Kit also includes a 16-page booklet that unlocks the secrets of DNA and explains how it makes you unique. Single pack includes supplies for 1 person's DNA sample, double pack includes supplies for 2 and the family pack includes supplies for 4 DNA samples.

What the...? It doesn't seem to be a paternity test. Maybe I've been watching too much Smallville, but is this for parents who are afraid they have alien babies?

Mood: confused

Tags:

pregnancy

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Comments

( 37 comments — Leave a comment )

szasz wrote:

Jul. 14th, 2005 11:11 pm (UTC)

All I can think of is you send the DNA somewhere and they do a screening for serious genetic diseases like MS, hemophilia, and Kleinfelter's.

*shrug*

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dbang wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 12:23 am (UTC)

Their policy states: "The Profile Snapshot is carried out using non-trait markers which are designed NOT to show any susceptibility to genetic diseases or any other medical information. You will not find out any of the nasty stuff using CATGee."

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szasz wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 02:10 am (UTC)

Huh? So they just send you the list of DNA profile types? What good is that, unless you expect your child to, like, commit a crime some day. Or maybe the kid disappears one day, they find a body somewhere, and the parent can go Aha! Good thing I got my child DNA typed, because now we can do a match!

I don't get it.

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yagagriswold wrote:

Jul. 14th, 2005 11:19 pm (UTC)

I suspect someone wants a large pool of DNA samples for their own purposes--research, presumably, and is using this as a way to get people to pay for the opportunity to submit their DNA to this project.

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moominmolly wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 12:05 am (UTC)

Damnably clever.

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dbang wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 12:08 am (UTC)

Like, I dunno, the FBI maybe?

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kimberlogic wrote:

Jul. 14th, 2005 11:26 pm (UTC)

this sounds ... bizarre.

still loving the icon, btw

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fengshui wrote:

Jul. 14th, 2005 11:32 pm (UTC)

As I read it, all you get in this pack is a 16-page pamphlet, a cotton swab, a piece of cardboard with a moisture-sensitive color-changing ink on it, and a ziplock bag.

Notice that you have to pay an additional fee for analysis. The main product just "collects" your DNA.

You know, if I had no ethics, I could probably make a lot of money taking advantae of idiots.

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dbang wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 12:09 am (UTC)

You could make even more money selling extremely personal data to all sorts of interested parties. :-/

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moominmolly wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 12:12 am (UTC)

That's more like what I was thinking.

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moominmolly wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 12:14 am (UTC)

Their privacy policy, for the record.

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dbang wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 12:22 am (UTC)

Fascinating. They say they'll destroy your sample and your DNA profile after X number of days. They don't, however, say anywhere that they won't share the data with other parties before destroying it. Mind boggling.

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moominmolly wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 12:24 am (UTC)

Isn't that, like, the best privacy statement ever?

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twoeleven wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 01:29 am (UTC)

while i admire your paranoia, they may think their privacy statement is perfectly adequate. they're a british company, and so covered by eu law on transferring personal information to third parties. the short form is: only by explicit consent.

i have no idea how this relates to american subsidiaries, or even if they have one.

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moominmolly wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 05:15 am (UTC)

Interesting! So, it's just creepy and useless, then.

At least you get a handy card with a colorful "DNA image" on it.

Anyway.

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dbang wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 12:26 am (UTC)

Also, if it is really the FBI collecting DNA samples, I'm thinking they'd find some way around honoring a privacy policy. I mean, if the Department of Homeland Security declares DNA tracking to be covered by the Patriot Act, then there would be pretty much no defense against it. You'd never ever know.

I am really not a paranoid person, but I am never going to *volunteer* to have my DNA taken for no particular purpose by some private company.

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moominmolly wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 12:31 am (UTC)

Yeah. Even if their privacy statement looked to be completely airtight, I wouldn't do it. It baffles me that not only is this for sale in Target stores, but ... but in *baby registries*. So weird and incomprehensible.

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dda wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 07:04 am (UTC)

People are paranoid about their kids; they have the little types fingerprinted and footprinted and any other -printed they can think of, it seems. This would be just more of the same; "Look, parents, here's a way to stash your kid's DNA in case it is ever needed to ID them."

So a baby registry would be the perfect place to advertise this. I'm sure some parents will proudly put it next to the bronzed baby shoes to suitably embarrass the kid years from now. :-)

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dolohov wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 12:40 am (UTC)

According to the description, the additional fee is if you use the second swab, for the "more detailed information". Still a rip-off, though.

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moominmolly wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 01:28 am (UTC)

I'm not sure what they mean by "more detailed" information. I thought that the first swab was for the "DNA Storage" part of "DNA Storage and Profile". So, you can keep moist cheek cells in a ziploc bag for free, or you can pay an additional fee for lab analysis, is how I interpreted it.

Who knows?

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twoeleven wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 03:01 am (UTC)

as best as i can figure, the even more detailed information is a crude dna fingerprint (so called).

but not only that, the bit of cardboard to stick your dna on contains their secret preservative -- probably a random chelator bound to a resin -- which might do some good at preserving the dna you stick on it. maybe.

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cuthalion wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 12:27 am (UTC)

I hope your baby has enough DNA!!!

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moominmolly wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 12:34 am (UTC)

You never know! I'm not giving ANY of that stuff away! What if she needs to USE it?

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weegoddess wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 12:30 am (UTC)

You can never watch TOO MUCH Smallville!!

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moominmolly wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 12:35 am (UTC)

COnfession: I just signed up for a Netflix subscription so we could watch Smallville season 3. Hollywood Express has it (the one on Mass Ave), but it's in New Releases, so I just *know* we'd be paying late fees.

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sconstant wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 01:49 am (UTC)

Netflix and using Netflix to get TV shows - highly recommended for the end of pregnancy and the beginning of non-pregnancy. If you have a Tivo, that's useful too.

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weegoddess wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 02:35 am (UTC)

I've been hooked on it for far longer than I care to admit. Yeergh. Can't WAIT for the new season...will he finally go to Metropolis and be a reporter? Most of the pieces are in place.

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arachne8x wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 01:43 pm (UTC)

I have always stopped short of this because Aaron and I have just been buying the boxed DVDs for shows we really want to see. Also we have a Hollywood Express super close. I wonder if I should consider it when we start watchings SG-1.

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oonh wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 12:52 am (UTC)

I was googling for maternity tests, because the idea seemed so absurd, and it lead me to mail order lab infidelity studies.

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moominmolly wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 01:18 am (UTC)

WOW. That's... I'm sort of fascinated despite myself.

Re: maternity tests: It does seem absurd, but I guess it would make sense in plenty of cases (adoption, supposed baby-switching, whatever). Interesting.

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szasz wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 02:16 am (UTC)

I'm really embarrassed that I JUST NOW got the significance of the name "CATGee." *sigh*

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moominmolly wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 02:20 am (UTC)

I only got it because I was so dumbstruck by seeing this product among perky-pea crib sheets and gingham burp cloths that I just stared at it, and at its weird name...

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aroraborealis wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 02:21 am (UTC)

I like this idea of collecting and preserving one's DNA. As though you're in danger of running out!

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dnereverri wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 03:54 am (UTC)

I can think of two reasons... One is to have a DNA sample "on file" in case it becomes necessary to identify you after something, er, unfortunate has happened.

The other is the Genographic Project.

Since this seems to be neither, I have no idea.

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harimad wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 05:35 pm (UTC)

Before you worry whether your baby has human DNA, make sure you do. It'll botch the whole test if you don't.

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fennel wrote:

Jul. 15th, 2005 08:19 pm (UTC)

Could it have been a novelty product for dumb non-babies that was mis-categorized at Target by someone not paying enough attention?

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moominmolly wrote:

Jul. 16th, 2005 04:47 pm (UTC)

Or maybe a novelty product that Target sells a lot of but doesn't have a named demographic for, so they stuck it in with the baby stuff? Probably something like one of these explanations.

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( 37 comments — Leave a comment )