DNA is something that is becoming of interest to many, and probably because we hear so much of its value through crime solving on TV and the media, but is a product like 23andMe of any real value to us in real life?
Overview
The overview of the 23andMe DNA testing product is dependent on where you are buying it from. There are three basic offerings of this product according to the country you live in, and its proposals are quite different based on this. The Does23andMe offered to those in the USA makes it very clear that it provides ancestry related genetic reports with uninterpreted raw genetic data. It does not offer health related genetic reports. It now seems that the shift for the 23andMe product is being offered to the Canadian consumer and they have the advantage of receiving much more information related to their health.
The Claim
The company is focusing their USA marketing on how DNA testing can help you with finding out more about your ancestry rather than your health. They are saying that with the information gleaned from your DNA testing that you can find out what percent of your DNA comes from other world populations. For the Canadian marketing approach the Company is going much broader with their health information related offering.
The Hype
With the pull back of not being able to offer health related DNA information it has put a lot of restrictions on what hype the 23andMe can put forth. The hype is now focusing on the importance of DNA and how it could be important for those who are interested in their ancestors. On the USA website it shows a video of how important being part of a DNA data base can be of some value. For Canadians, no doubt the hype related to what discovering what your DNA depicts about your potential health, is much more of a draw for interest.
The Cost
Canadians can expect to pay $199. for your kit. While this may seem like a small price to pay if you are going to get lots of factual DNA information that could help you know what your health risks might be, it could be a purchase that is also putting you at risk for discrimination based on your genetics.
The Commitment
Before you make any real commitment as to whether you want to purchase the 23andMe Canada offering you need to be aware of what if any repercussions there could be to using the product, and having your DNA entered into a database. In Canada there are no rules governing discrimination with genetic testing. For example, insurance companies can ask you if you have had genetic testing, and so could employers. You would need to weigh out what the impact of this could have on your personal situation.
Evaluation
With DNA now becoming affordable and open to the public in general, it is opening up a whole new world of discovery of personal information. It could be viewed as being a good or a bad thing depending on your personal circumstance. For Canadians they have to ask themselves, is using a product like 23andMe worth the potential risks that having no discrimination protection in place could raise? For others that have real health concerns, then the information gleaned from the testing may over rule the other risks. We have looked at DNA factors before as they relate to some of the products being offered based on the buyer’s DNA. One of these was the Blood Type Work Out.
Final 23andMe Review
Based on the present circumstances in Canada surrounding the possible discriminatory factors we are going to give the 23andMe a risky try/buy but with some reservations. There are times where health concerns may just have to be the priority and DNA information could be valuable at possibly helping one prevent a medical situation, or help in the treating of a condition. There is a real risk however, of taking the health data that can be obtained from DNA testing that includes this and misinterpreting it or self diagnosing oneself. We have combined our conclusion for what rating we have given based on general feedback like that contained at Amazon.com, which is not the Canadian market and it currently stands at a 2.5 rating out of 91 customer reviews.
Our Recommendation
We suggest that if you are looking at DNA testing like that being offered to the Canadian market through a company like 23andMe that you really give it some serious thought, and have some valid reasons for going through with the purchase with open eyes. The downside to this type of testing at the moment should come to the fore front to over ride your intentions of buying is based purely on interest.
