BS: No Genetic Mail Service for Me Right Now

Subject: BS: No Genetic Mail Service for Me Right Now
From: robomatic
Date: 15 Sep 18 - 11:24 PM

One of the more interesting public radio shows talked about a home genetic testing service called 23andme a number of years ago, maybe as many as five. After sending them your sample, originally, 23andme would send you back their findings on your ancestry and additionally would tell you of genetic markers for various traits, including health liabilities. Then the U.S. Food and Drug Administration told them to hold off on the second part, which to me seemed a violation of one's right to know.

Now I think they were right

From what I can see these 'services' now advertised heavily on television and mainly between two companies, 23andme and Ancestry, give an impression of hard and detailed knowledge, and I think it is overestimated. It is also not clear who owns the information from your body, and your right to keep it private.

Subject: RE: BS: No Genetic Mail Service for Me Right Now
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 12:23 AM

My sister had this done, so presumably the results would be the same for me. The ancestry results didn't jive at all with our belief that we are German-French-Irish and maybe Ashkenazi Jewish.

Subject: RE: BS: No Genetic Mail Service for Me Right Now
From: robomatic
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 01:44 AM

Yeah, I'm not so sure those hunnert buck spit-sample jobbies are as accurate as they imply.
And on reflection, I don't think it matters that much. I'm an advocate of the American tradition that you can define yourself and eff what the experts say.

Life ain't the way they show it on CSI.

Subject: RE: BS: No Genetic Mail Service for Me Right Now
From: Jos
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 03:27 AM

It would be interesting to compare the results for the same person but from different genetic testing services.

I watched a television programme a while ago about a similar service for dog owners to find out the background of their pets. They had to send in a sample along with a photograph of the dog. And guess what - the results came back with the dog's ancestry closely matching the photograph of the dog. Even when they sent the sample with a photograph of a very different dog.
And even when they sent a photograph of a dog with a DNA sample from the programme's presenter.

Subject: RE: BS: No Genetic Mail Service for Me Right Now
From: Senoufou
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 04:29 AM

Ha, I've thought of that too Jos. Sending off samples to many different services and having a laugh at the differences. But they're quite expensive.
My sister has done a detailed family tree going back to the seventeenth century for our paternal line, but I would be interested to know my mother's genetic history (Irish)
However, I don't think I'd want to know what diseases I'm in line for! If it became generally required, it wouldn't half bump up insurance premiums.
I think I read somewhere that these genetic testing doodahs are not accurate at all and not sophisticated enough to be able to determine inherited disease.

Subject: RE: BS: No Genetic Mail Service for Me Right Now
From: Jos
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 05:21 AM

Following the female line is more likely to be accurate, without any 'mistakes' regarding paternity. I have come across reports where the percentage of named fathers who are/were not in fact the biological father was said to range between 10% and 15%.
I'm sure you will be able to find examples online.
I first heard of it many years ago in 'nature' programme about sparrows where they said male sparrows often play away while another female's mate is out of sight (maybe doing the same with another female sparrow?). The naturalists said the number of sparrows rearing the resulting chicks that weren't their own was about 12%, and they added as an aside that the rate for humans was roughly the same.

Subject: RE: BS: No Genetic Mail Service for Me Right Now
From: Mr Red
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 05:33 AM

The tests are widely criticised in the New Scientist, both by journalists and those interviewed.

The problem is despite all we now know, we ain't even scratched the surface. And 23andme only give probabilities, environment plays a big part.

First there was Junk DNA, loads of stuff they thought was detritus, historic effluent. Then came epigentics, and one or two experts I spoke to didn't really respond to "when did Junk become epigentics". It is complicated and at a Barn Dance - hardly chit-chat.

Epigentics is the way your history influences your probability for a given condition. And, it has been seen - your off-spring! eg babies born to mothers who experience a lean diet, shortages etc, generally are smaller, and the grandchild is seen to be somewhat smaller. It was a large study and the findings are statistical. This has long been observed with cats, anecdotally. It is evolution protecting the species.
The problem is we, as individuals, prefer to consider the individual cases, and statistcs in a sample of one, are somewhat, a bit teensy unreliable.

Dogs - as soon as I read photo - I got the rest!

Subject: RE: BS: No Genetic Mail Service for Me Right Now
From: Donuel
Date: 18 Sep 18 - 05:48 AM

We do not own our own DNA. It would be legal to sell our DNA to a 3rd party. You would never know if it was sold.

Subject: RE: BS: No Genetic Mail Service for Me Right Now
From: Donuel
Date: 18 Sep 18 - 06:00 AM

Most owned DNA is to prevent it from being used for genetic cures by other labs unless exorbitant prices are paid which limits research.
People have been known to pay to use their own DNA as a customer only.
http://www.startribune.com/dna-testing-americans-sign-away-their-rights/479020833/