Ancestry and Other Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing

Approximately 7 million ancestry tests have been ordered by curious consumers, most of those in the past few years. That’s a lot of DNA! Ethnic background is one type of result that can come from an online DNA test, along with others like physical traits, wellness factors, carrier status for recessive conditions, and estimates of genetic relatedness to others who have also tested. While these results have the potential to empower people with information they can then use to make changes or decisions, they can also raise questions. Where do you turn for answers?

In the webinar recording below, genetic counselor and ancestry test consultant Brianne Kirkpatrick will address some of the common questions she hears, like “What could a direct-to-consumer DNA test tell me?” and “Who will own my data?” She’ll also address the different types of genetic tests on the market and touch upon the fact that “surprises” can be sprung on you any time in life…and DNA tests results are no exception. This NSGC consumer webinar will leave you empowered with the questions to ask before you test and resources to have on hand when your results come back. The information in this presentation was current as of 3/28/2017. As the field of direct to consumer testing is rapidly advancing, some of the information in this presentation is subject to change.

Since the creation of this webinar, the FDA approved 23andMe genetic tests for 10 conditions or diseases. What should you know about it? Read our blog post “FDA Approved 23andMe At-Home Genetic Tests: It’s More Than ‘Just a Test’”: http://bit.ly/2p7DLwD