Book excerpt: "Human DNA: Law and Policy" provides the first international debate on a topic of universal concern. No book has brought together such a diverse range of multidisciplinary ethical and legal expertise on the highly controversial issues surrounding the use, storage, exchange and sale of the very stuff' of which we are made - human genetic material. Testing of human genetic material involves a variety of samples (pathological samples, newborn screening samples, samples leftover' after testing, and research samples), shared around the world. This places consent issues on an individual, familial, and societal level. The comparative and international perspectives presented reveal the transnational nature of genetic studies. This book focuses on the issues of DNA sampling and testing, consent and confidentiality, banking policies, genetic epidemiology and diversity. Since financial and technological pressures are inextricably linked to human genetics research, commercialization and patents are also examined. Academic researchers, policy makers and industry will benefit from the learned papers and reports of the discussion, which is rich in diversity of opinion, controversial in the diversity of policy and approaches presented, anchored on scientific facts and yet sensitive to cultural, political and economic differences.