Warning about UNC facial pain study

Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2014 20:21:38 -0400
From: Nora Haenn
Subject: warning about UNC facial pain study

Hi Everyone, I received a phone call recruiting me to this study. They are calling around Chatham County. The caller asked whether I had facial pain, and I guess I said what they wanted to hear, so they asked if they could send me a survey and a kit with which to swab the inside of my cheek.

When the kit arrived, the accompanying paperwork said what they really want  is my DNA. By participating in the study my DNA becomes the property of UNC.  The UNC researchers can share my DNA, and it would become part of a national database operated by the National Institutes of Health.

Since I am not comfortable with my DNA becoming someone else’s property, I wish they had been more up front about this. Just in case other people share the same concern, I thought I would let you all know.