23 and Me Genetic Testing- Have you/Would you?

[Anonymous]

I am very interested in getting a full genetic profile done on myself. Mostly to be an armchair geneticist and to follow up on some health concerns that none of my health care providers seem to be concerned about. (MTHFR Gene?)

The financial price is reasonable, but I am still sitting on the fence at the idea that "my" profile will be "out there" in a data base and how it may be accessed/used in the future for profit.

What say you DCUM?

[Anonymous]

I was just about to when they doubled the price ($99 to $199).

[Anonymous]

We did it years ago as a family for genealogical reasons. My family includes a lot of adoptees and we hoped to find links to distant relatives.

However, when I became ill, my hemocologist oncologist was amazed how much I knew about my genes. It took some worries off the table.

[Anonymous]

Did it 3-4 years ago. It was interesting. Not sure I would do it now given the increased cost and the fact that they can't give out as much health risk info as they used to.

[Anonymous]

I did it as an adoptee before they raised the price. It was interesting, but in the end, it was kind of moot as I literally found my birth family a month after I did it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did it 3-4 years ago. It was interesting. Not sure I would do it now given the increased cost and the fact that they can't give out as much health risk info as they used to.

Didnt the FDA double back on that?

[Anonymous]

A friend of mine did it just for fun and learned that his father growing up was not his biological father. Both parents have passed so he had nobody to ask about it. He has a sister 15 years older who also did the test which is how it was discovered that they had different genes. He went on a quest to find out who his real father was. He contacted the closest genetic links through 23 and me and learned that he is really Polish, not Scottish and has travelled across the US and Poland meeting relatives that he never knew he had.

[Anonymous]

I had it done and received my report back a month ago. I did it purely out of curiosity, because I was interested in finding out my exact ethnicity percentages. For me, it was absolutely worth the money, but that being said, I'm a person who is very interested in genetics and genealogy overall, for someone who doesn't care to know that they're 65% British and 15% Scandinavian, it might not be worthwhile.

[Anonymous]

I did it. I would do it if you'll find it interesting/fun, but not rely on it for serious health advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did it. I would do it if you'll find it interesting/fun, but not rely on it for serious health advice.

Just to expand on this, with 23 and me you also get a copy of your raw genetic code which you can then up load to other sites to find out more health related information. Many of these sites are very inexpensive if not free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did it. I would do it if you'll find it interesting/fun, but not rely on it for serious health advice.

Just to expand on this, with 23 and me you also get a copy of your raw genetic code which you can then up load to other sites to find out more health related information. Many of these sites are very inexpensive if not free.

Promethease is $5, I believe.

[Anonymous]

Many of these tests are nicely priced, but in exchange for the low price, you agree to let them use your data for research purposes. Now, they do state that they will aggregate your data with others prior to using it and not publish your name and other personal details. however there's no guarantee for that, there are always loopholes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many of these tests are nicely priced, but in exchange for the low price, you agree to let them use your data for research purposes. Now, they do state that they will aggregate your data with others prior to using it and not publish your name and other personal details. however there's no guarantee for that, there are always loopholes.

See here for more details, no longer available on Amazon, probably pulled it due to low reviews, however, some of the reviews may be worth reading:

http://www.amazon.com/23andMe-Personal-Genome-Service-Information/dp/B002QPR852

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did it. I would do it if you'll find it interesting/fun, but not rely on it for serious health advice.

Just to expand on this, with 23 and me you also get a copy of your raw genetic code which you can then up load to other sites to find out more health related information. Many of these sites are very inexpensive if not free.

Promethease is $5, I believe.

What is the benefit of doing this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many of these tests are nicely priced, but in exchange for the low price, you agree to let them use your data for research purposes. Now, they do state that they will aggregate your data with others prior to using it and not publish your name and other personal details. however there's no guarantee for that, there are always loopholes.

If someone wanted to expose my genetic information, then can follow me around and pick up any of the gazillion hairs and cells I leave behind, then send it to be sequenced. The risk of this is much higher than a company risking a very expensive lawsuit.