As per the New Scientist, deCODE Genetics have recently revealed some surprising facts about genetics of Icelanders.

As per scientists involved with the study, the data on genetic material collected is sufficient to warn Icelanders of their genetic health risks.

Kari Stefansson of deCODE Genetics said the study revealed that a majority of Iceland women had mutation in the BRCA2 breast cancer gene.

The insights from the latest research include a new gene linked with Alzheimer's disease. Stefansson believes that deCODE has now accumulated sufficient data about Icelanders that they can now debate as to how this might be used to identify people at risk of developing genetic disease.

For example, women with the BRCA genes could be forewarned of their increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer, Stefansson said.

Stefansson told New Scientist that presently the information provided by them is solely being used to make discoveries, but he said that now they are in the position to use it to improve health.

"For us, it's a watershed. We're in a position to teach the rest of the world how to handle these opportunities", Stefansson added.

Up till now, Iceland has resisted the use of deCODE genetic data. In this year and previous one, they found that people criticized the step when deCODE held a campaign to collect DNA samples from 100.000 Icelanders in exchange for t-shirts.

Although safeguards were built to guarantee that all the information would be encrypted and kept anonymous, with no information on potential disease risks fed back to patients, this could now change.

It has been told that deCODE would not decrypt the data they have collected but rather they pass it on to the Icelandic healthcare system that would then de-anonymise it and alert Icelanders of potential genetic health risks.

Stefansson stated that they along with the Icelandic Medical School and the Ministry of Health, have been discussing how to use the data in the best way.