Such information is valuable in understanding human genetic variation. Among other things, it provides a resource for understanding how our genes influence health and the onset of disease. The information produced by the International Hapmap Project is made freely available to scientists accross the globe. In October 2007 Phase 2 of the data collection process was completed and the final phase 3 was made available in February this year. In the coming years the data collected as a result of the project will surely prove invaluable in the understanding and treatment of disease. However, ethical issues have been raised in regard to the project, with particular concern over the possibility of missuse of information.
Further information about the project can be found at http://www.hapmap.org/. For an overview of the ethical issues encompassing the project visit http://www.hapmap.org/downloads/HapMapEthics.pdf. For a critique of the project see Terwilliger JD and Hiekkalinna T (2006). An utter refutation of the 'Fundamental Theorem of the HapMap' European Journal of Human Genetics 14, 426–437
