You could test for multiple diseases simultaneously. You could screen newborns for a host of genetic diseases. And that ability is, in some sense, the other side of the coin regarding the GeneChip technology. As genetic screening techniques have improved, alarms have been raised about the risk that the information could be used against people. A person found to carry a certain disease gene might be denied insurance or otherwise be discriminated against.
Genetic information is shared information.
It's not just yours. Gregory says that the chips' potential for testing multiple genes at the same time presents additional problems. We've always thought that more and faster is better. Gregory believes the real issue lies in dealing with the unanticipated problems that come with any new technology. As the quantity of information increases, so too does the flow of that information which can produce these problems.