I s it correct? Can this be done in the name of science? Ever since the Vikings came to Iceland about a thousand years ago the natives have lived in isolation. Scientists refer to their gene pool as fairly undiluted. The family trees of the natives are well documented as well the range of diseases they suffer from.

Such a small gene pool is a blessing in disguise for scientists and for the medical community at large. It makes the task of locating malfunctioning genes easier. It also makes the task of holding these genes responsible for a particular disease which will manifest itself when the gene malfunctions. All this means a big saving in research in terms of both time and money.

Let us examine the facts. In January, 1999, the Iceland parliament passed a bill authorising the setting up of a single database of its 270,000 strong population. The database is all set to be an encyclopaedia containing the genetic and medical records of the natives. What has irked the people most is that this will be done by a private company. Funded mostly by investors based in the United States of America.

The bill licenses deCode Genetics, a private company in Reykjavik, owned by a citizen of Iceland, to manage the data- base. The company has since then signed up with Hoffman-La Roche for