Most genetic testing for health or medical reasons must be ordered by a physician, and the results delivered by a physician or genetic counselor. These tests are outside the scope of DNA Test Index. Here, we focus on direct-to-consumer genetic testing.
This kind of DNA testing is controversial. The controversy features strong opinions (and good arguments) on both sides. Some experts believe health information from DNA tests should not be released directly to consumers. This view may prevail, and it’s possible that legislation may put an end to this kind of service. Currently, though, anyone wishing to find out about their personal genome, (including possible health-related information) is able to use the services of one of the providers that do DNA health testing.
Services range in price from around a thousand dollars, down to free. Each provider, of course, offers a different set of features. The common thread is that, for the first time in history, ordinary people have access to their own genetic information, and tools to make sense of it.
Typically, it works like this. You contact a provider sign up for the service. If it is a commercial provider, you pay up front. Then you will receive in the mail a small container which you fill with saliva. Alternately, some providers will give you swabs to collect cells from inside your cheeks. You mail back your DNA, your results are available on the provider’s website, on a web page to which only you have the password. This whole process usually takes a few weeks.
There is also the beginnings of a thriving market in 3rd party services, which can help you to interpret your genetic information. In fact, some think that this will be much more important in the future. In the words of Daniel MacArthur, of the Genetic Future blog:
The entire chip-based personal genomics industry is really just a transient place-holder for the real deal: interpretation of complete genome sequences. All of the personal genomics companies currently out there are simply positioning themselves for a share of the potentially enormous sequencing interpretation market that will emerge within the next couple of years as the cost of DNA sequencing plummets.
Here are a couple of lists of genetic conditions:
