However, as shown in this review, the genetic literature on AI/AN and AUD is scanty and only a few tribes are represented. There are several reasons for this including tribal disillusionment with past research experiences, mistrust of researchers’ motives, concerns over human migration theories and the identification of tribal ancestry by DNA testing. Several AI/AN communities have experience of research programs that have been culturally insensitive, tending to treat tribal members as ‘subjects’ with no feedback about the published data, and have even violated the terms of informed consent. The recent (2010) resolution of a law suit in favor of the Havasupai Tribe against Arizona State University concerning their research violation of informed consent is a good example of how mistrust of research spreads throughout the AI/AN community.
