• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
  • Contact us
  • Guest Content
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Elevenses
  • Business
  • Food
  • Travel
  • Property
  • JOBS
  • All
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Sport
    • Tech/Auto
    • Lifestyle
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Covid testing firm ‘selling swabs carrying customers’ DNA’ to third parties

Cignpost - which sells £35 tests for holidaymakers - sells DNA from Covid swabs on to third parties.

Henry Goodwin by Henry Goodwin
2021-11-15 14:27
in News
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

A government-approved Covid testing firm is being investigated by the UK’s data privacy watchdog after it emerged that it plans to sell customers’ DNA to third parties.

Cignpost Diagnostics, which trades as ExpressTest and offers £35 tests for holidaymakers, said it holds the right to analyse samples from seals to “learn more about human health” – and sell information on to third parties.

Individuals are required to give informed consent for their sensitive medical data to be used – but customers’ consent for their DNA to be sold now as buried in Cignpost’s online documents.

When buying tests, customers were asked to tick a box agreeing to a 4,876 privacy policy which links to a separate document outlining the research programme, The Sunday Times reported.

‘Biological samples’

Cignpost removed the reference last week after the newspaper passed evidence of its activities to the Information Commissioner’s Office, which is now investigating.

It is still not known how many samples have been stored by the form of if they have been sold on already; the policy said data belonging to those providing swabs could be retained indefinitely.

Cignpost was founded last year and is believed to have sold as many as three million tests. It supplies pre-departure and arrival tests for travellers, with walk-in centres at sites including Gatwick and Heathrow.

The company’s “research programme information sheet” reveals it keeps hold of data including “biological samples… and the DNA obtained from such samples”.

It adds that it may share DNA samples and other personal information with “collaborators” – including universities and private companies – and that it “may receive compensation” in return.

RelatedPosts

Tories cannot govern while ‘fighting like rats in a sack’, says Keir Starmer

X boss Elon Musk restores account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones

Lord Cameron reprimands Humza Yousaf over Erdogan meeting ‘protocol breach’

Michelle Mone admits ‘error’ in denying links to PPE firm

‘Full compliance’

ICO deputy commissioner Steve Wood said the watchdog would look “carefully” at the firm.

“There is no personal data more sensitive than our DNA. People should be told about what’s happening to it in a clear, open and honest way so they can make informed decisions about whether they want to give it up,” he said.

A Cignpost spokesperson said it was in “full compliance” with data privacy laws, adding: “We have invested significantly in robust systems and processes to ensure we protect our customers.

“Because we are testing our customers for a potentially serious condition, protecting that data is paramount.”

Related: Shareholder win! Covid contracts drive Serco to bumper profits and revenues

Tags: Covid-19
Previous Post

The Evolution of Bitcoin has Opened New Doors to Earning Opportunities

Next Post

Tory MP paid £1k an hour by firm that benefited from NHS Covid contracts

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

More from TLE

Tory factions to hold summits over Sunak’s Rwanda Bill before crunch vote

Bitcoin price soars 50% in two months amid ETF speculation

Thunderball Results for Saturday 9 December 2023

Andrew Tate slams GTA 6 and says under 21s shouldn’t play it

Chris Packham files legal challenge against Rishi Sunak’s ‘reckless’ net zero policies

Odds on Nigel Farage to become next Tory leader shorten

Govt considering creating a ‘state-within-a-state’ in Rwanda to get around Supreme Court ruling

Elevenses: The Things You ‘Have To Do’

UK porn watchers could have faces scanned under new Ofcom guidance

Will the new Rwanda treaty see flights get off the ground?

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




← The Evolution of Bitcoin has Opened New Doors to Earning Opportunities ← Tory MP paid £1k an hour by firm that benefited from NHS Covid contracts
-->