The tribe, which has 650 members, also will receive the blood samples taken in the early 1990s and other forms of assistance from ASU, which requested genetic material to study why tribal members were experiencing high rates of diabetes, but then used the DNA for other research purposes without getting the Havasupai’s consent.

 

The additional research included testing to see if the tribe had different geographical origins from what it claims in its folklore. The Havasupai currently live in the Grand Canyon.

 

ASU researchers have been told not to visit the reservation, per a “banishment order” by the tribe.

 

The settlement could help shape future DNA cases and force researchers to be more careful about obtaining informed consent from subjects before performing tests.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Indian Tribe Wins Fight to Limit Research of Its DNA (by Amy Harmon, New York Times)

Research without Patient Consent (Who Owns Your Body?)