Nebula Genomics is providing a way for people to get their genomes sequenced anonymously, Wired reports.
Harvard's George Church co-founded Nebula Genomics in 2017, which combines genome sequencing with blockchain-based privacy controls but also cryptocurrency-based incentives to get its customers to share their data.
As the company has now announced, it is offering to sequence genomic data from customers who decline to share any personal information. Kevin Quinn, the chief technology officer at Nebula, tells Wired that it already removes identifying information from the genetic data, but that this would prevent them from even having it in the first place.
As Wired notes, when someone purchases consumer genetic testing, they typically have to provide their name, address, email, and a credit card number so that the company can bill them, ship them a spit kit, and then send them their results. But Nebula says its customers don't have to provide that information. Instead, Nebula users can use an encrypted email service, a PO box, and a secure crypto wallet or preloaded credit card to purchase the service, Wired reports. Church and others from Nebula discuss data privacy further at Nature Biotechnology.
But as Wired notes, DNA is inherently a personal identifier.