Thorny Legal Issues that Arise from Taking Consumer DNA Tests

THORNY LEGAL ISSUES RAISED BY DNA TESTS, WITH ATTORNEY MARIA LEONARD OLSEN

Few realize that their quest to learn more about themselves can have far reaching consequences for themselves and their family members. Learn about some of the unanticipated issues that can arise after taking a direct-to-consumer DNA test. Topics to be covered include law enforcement implications, privacy concerns, insurance problems, paternity/fertility donor fraud, inheritance issues, retroactive child support, and name change statutes and procedures.

Maria is a biracial woman whose parents were forbidden by law to marry in their home state of Maryland in the early 1960s. She is the mother of two, a commercial litigation attorney, journalist, recovery mentor and author of two adult nonfiction books and two children’s books. Her latest book is 50 After 50: Becoming Your Best Version, and she is writing a book on the unintended consequences of consumer DNA testing. She leads writing/empowerment retreats for women and hosts the “Becoming Your Best Version” podcast. She spoke at TEDx CUNY in November 2021 on “Using Life’s Challenges as a Force for Good,” which include the challenge of learning she was an NPE. Her talks on becoming your best version involve overcoming common battles, including divorce, empty-nest syndrome, work/life balance, sexual assault, misattributed parentage, feeling less than, addictions, anxiety and depression. She has spoken at the Pennsylvania Conference for Women, the National March to End Rape Culture and numerous corporate and nonprofit events. Her writing has been published in The Washington Post, Parents Magazine, The Washingtonian, AARP’s The Ethel, and more. Contact Maria at FiftyAfter50@gmail.com.

Right To Know:

ADVANCING OUR FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT TO KNOW OUR GENETIC IDENTITY THROUGH EDUCATION, MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES, AND ADVOCACY.

We support people impacted by DNA surprises, genetic identity issues, and misattributed parentage experiences (MPE) which can occur due to an adoption, assisted conception, or those conceived from a non-paternal event (NPE) and promote understanding of the complex intersection of genetic information, identity, and family dynamics. 

We encourage engagement to facilitate and create real change and are an inclusive organization that assists everyone impacted by genetic identity issues including adoptees, donor-conceived, people with an NPE, birth parents, gamete providers, new genetic family, recipient parents, and raising families. In learning and growing from each other, we must put the voices of adoptees, donor conceived, and people with an NPE first.

Maria Olsen