Methylation array data can simultaneously identify individuals and convey protected health information: an unrecognized ethical concern.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Genome-wide methylation arrays are increasingly used tools in studies of complex medical disorders. Because of their expense and potential utility to the scientific community, current federal policy dictates that data from these arrays, like those from genome-wide genotyping arrays, be deposited in publicly available databases. Unlike the genotyping information, access to the expression data is not restricted. An underlying supposition in the current nonrestricted access to methylation data is the belief that protected health and personal identifying information cannot be simultaneously extracted from these arrays.

Results

In this communication, we analyze methylation data from the Illumina HumanMethylation450 array and show that genotype at 1,069 highly informati

SUBMITTER: Philibert RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4391334 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature