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Schumer On Home DNA Testing Kits: 'They Can Sell It To Pretty Much Anybody'

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wants the Federal Trade Commission to crack down on a flaw in DNA home testing kids.

As WCBS 880's Ethan Harp reported, Schumer isn't worried about the science.

"Putting your most personal genetic information in the hands of third parties for their exclusive use raises concerns that must be corrected," the New York Democrat said in a Sunday press conference.

 

Schumer warns that while DNA kits from companies like Heritage, Ancestry, and 23andMe make popular holiday gifts as people learn about their genes, customers might be unwittingly handing over their personal info to third parties.

"They can sell it pretty much to anybody," Schumer said. "That's not good."

The long-time senator wants the government to come up with guidelines that force companies to make clear what happens with your DNA, and he's not ruling out senate action.

"It's an industry that's moved so fast that there are no standards right now and we need them," Schumer said. "Because more and more people are buying these kits."

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