Genetic profiling and banking system and method

• US 6,640,211 B1
• Filed: 10/22/1999
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: First Genetic Trust Incorporated
• Inventors: Holden, Arthur L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): OUELLETTE, JONATHAN P
• Application Number:
  US09/425,085
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 435/5, 435/6, 705/3
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 50/00 ICT programming tools or database systems specially adapted for bioinformatics
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 50/30 Data warehousing; Computing architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 50/40 Encryption of genetic data
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records

Abstract

A genetic banking system allows the ability to securely store genetic profile data while allowing access to individuals authorized to access the profile for authorized purposes.

Claims

1. A method comprising

processing a user'"'"'s physical sample with genetic information to produce a genetic profile of data representative of the genetic information in the physical sample;

storing the genetic profile in an accessible database;

receiving from the user a set of access rights defining conditions under which third party users can access the genetic profile, said conditions including conditions representative of the users allowed access and uses for which access is allowed;

receiving a request from a third party user to perform a test on the genetic profile;

comparing the third party user'"'"'s request with the access rights to confirm that the third party user is authorized to access the genetic profile as requested;

if the third party user is authorized, performing the requested test on the genetic profile and reporting the results to the third party user; and

if the third party user is not authorized, denying access.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a requested test includes identifying in the genetic profile one of a number of genetic markers in the genetic profile associated with certain disease phenotypes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a request includes receiving a request over the Internet, wherein the receiving, comparing, performing, and reporting are performed without additional human intervention.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing to the user a user interface to allow the user to enroll with the system to establish the access rights.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the enrollment is performed over the Internet without additional human intervention.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing includes performing one or more of fluorescence, optical density, mass spectroscopy and DNA sequencing.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a requested test includes identifying in the genetic profile one or more of the genes identified in Table 1.

8. A method comprising:

receiving over the Internet from a third party user a request to perform a medical test on a stored genetic profile or a patient to determine the presence or absence of a gene or marker associated with a specified disease;

determining whether the third party user is authorized to access the genetic profile for the purpose of the requested medical test based on stored access rights provided by the patient and including information representative of the users allowed access to the genetic profile and uses for which access is allowed;

if the third party user is authorized for access and to perform the test, performing the test on the genetic profile and reporting the results to the third party user requesting the test information; and

if the third party user is not authorized for access and to perform the test, denying access to the third party user and not performing the test.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing to the user a user interface to allow the user to voluntarily enter information to establish access rights.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the entry of information is performed without additional human interventions.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the access rights include at least one third party that has rights to access the genetic profile for purposes of performing some medical tests and not for performing other medical tests.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein performing the test includes determining whether a specific genetic marker is present.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein performing the test includes determining whether a specific gene is present.

14. A system comprising:

a database for storing genetic profiles of patients;

a testing system for performing medical tests on genetic profiles; and

a processing system;

providing to the patient a user interface for the patient to voluntarily enter information to establish access rights including conditions representative of the users allowed access and uses for which access is allowed, for authorizing access by third party users for purposes which the third party users can gain access,

using the access rights to control access to the database when access is requested by third party users,

in response to a request by a third party user for a test on the genetic profile, checking the access rights to determine whether the third party is authorized and whether the test is authorized, and,

if the third party is authorized and providing test results to the authorized entity.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the profiles are stored in such a way that one or more of a plurality of genetic markers associated with specific diseases can be identified.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the processing system includes a web server for providing the user interface to the patient.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the processing system provides a third party interface to the third party for seeking access without additional human intervention.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the genetic profiles include SNP maps.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the user can establish access rights and the third party can try to obtain access all without additional human intervention.

20. A method comprising:

processing a user'"'"'s physical sample with genetic information to produce a genetic profile of data representative of the genetic information in the physical sample;

storing the genetic profile in an accessible database;

receiving from the user a set of access rights defining conditions under which users can access the genetic profile, said access rights including conditions representative of the users allowed access and uses for which access is allowed;

receiving a request to perform a test on the genetic profile;

comparing the request with the access rights to confirm that user is authorized to access the genetic profile as requested;

if the user is authorized, performing the requested test on the genetic profile and reporting the results to the user; and

if the user is not authorized, denying access.