The “boom” of take-at-home DNA is beginning to lessen. Privacy concerns, fraud, scams, incorrect information, and other issues are beginning to catch up with genetic testing companies. Now that it’s not quite so popular, are genetic tests still a good idea? Alexandra Hansen asked five experts what they thought.

David Krichhoffer, an ethicist, votes DNA testing is fine. However, you need to consider all the risks–such as inaccurate findings, findings you weren’t anticipating, and how the information might be used by employers or forensics–before giving away your genetic information.

Jane Tiller in public health genomics agrees with David, adding that all genetic results must be explained by a genetic counselor. Otherwise, your results are basically useless. For some people, this may be too much work.

Julian Savulescu, who works in biomedical ethics, is very enthusiastic about genetic testing. He believes there’s great and growing potential to understand how your genetics shapes rest of your life, and that this knowledge gives you power over your life. Martin Delatycki, a genetic researcher, also feels strongly in favor of genetic knowledge.

The lone doubter is Sylvia Metcalfe, a biochemistry professor. She cautions that many companies are too overstated in what they claim they can determine from genetics. She also says many companies interpret the same genetic material differently, which yields vastly different results. If you’re worried about medical symptoms, Metcalfe recommends seeing your physician first, who can order a DNA test if they feel it’s necessary. These referrals are to trustworthy testing companies and not direct-to-consumer companies.

DNA Paternity Testing is one of those trustworthy companies. We aren’t a direct-to-consumer company and don’t try to ride the wave of popularity. We engage with you on a personal level regarding your genetic information, use HIPAA compliance policies to keep your information secure, and never sell or release your information.

With over 2,000 centers nationwide, DNA Paternity Testing Centers is one of the largest, most affordable, networks of accredited DNA testing labs in the United States. Our price is unbeatable without sacrificing quality. We offer DNA testing for paternity, maternity and all other relationships (grandparents, siblings, aunts/uncles). Call us today at 866.944.9546 or ORDER ONLINE!

Genetic testing direct-to-consumer companies like Ancestry and 23andMe have experienced a decline in sales this year.

It’s not too surprising. The companies lapped up sales from roughly 30 million customers over a few years. But genetic tests don’t have a high returning customer rate. Once their curiosity is satisfied, customers understandably don’t feel the need to take another test.

But now direct-to-consumer companies are trying to make their sales goals and coming up with new ways to bring in new (or previous) customers.

New ideas in the pipeline include determining certain diseases and diabetes risks, heart disease risk, the likelihood of reacting to certain medications, and others.

As customers, this is where we need to be wary of such promises. We know that currently, genetic testing has outpaced the interpretation of such results. So when a company promises the next genetic breakthrough, we need to be cautious. It might just be bait to lure you in.

Once given to direct-to-consumer companies, genetic information is something you’ll never get back. Be cautious when deciding where to have your DNA tested.

But at DNA Paternity Testing, you can rest assured that your results are safe with us! We use extreme measures to keep your medical information secure, especially with our home kits. We train all our staff on all HIPAA compliance policies and ensuring that all tests and counseling remain confidential.  We never sell or release your information except if needed to comply with HIPAA standards.

With over 2,000 centers nationwide, DNA Paternity Testing Centers is one of the largest, most affordable, networks of accredited DNA testing labs in the United States. Our price is unbeatable without sacrificing quality. We offer DNA testing for paternity, maternity and all other relationships (grandparents, siblings, aunts/uncles). Call us today at 866.944.9546 or ORDER ONLINE!

Genetic testing to reveal family secrets, history, parentage, and personal genetic codes has become a huge market. Around 30 million people have participated in genetic testing. In 2018, the number of tests taken surpassed all previous year’s sales—combined! 2019 promises to be a busy and profitable year for genetic testing companies as well.

Despite all the hype of genetic testing, many customers find themselves disappointed in their results.

Genetics is a complicated subject and not nearly as clear-cut as test companies advertise. Simply put, these companies can’t always give the answers they promise. Results come back with no findings for relatives or can provide misleading information.

A prime example of misleading information regards siblings. As Eric Hamilton puts it, “if you have a Chinese ancestor, you may inherit his or her DNA, of which any genetic company will surely inform you. But your brother might not inherit any piece of DNA from your Chinese forefather and will receive a report where will be no mention of his Chinese ancestry.”

You shouldn’t suspect that a sibling was adopted or sired by a different father if genes don’t match. Chances are you simply didn’t inherit the same genes, even though your parents are the same. Further, Hamilton says, “genes are always passed on unequally to further generations.” But if you’re not aware of this, there can be a lot of disappointment and confusion.

So how can you not be disappointed by your genetic test results? First, by having realistic expectations. Science is mind-blowing and always advancing, but that doesn’t mean it has all the answers yet. There’s so much we have yet to discover.

Second, take your results to your physician or genetic counselor. Take-at-home tests in particular don’t provide any analysis; they just give you the results. This leaves you with many missing pieces that your physician or genetic counselor can provide.

At DNA Paternity Testing, our tests provide rock-solid answers to important questions like parentage and ancestry.

With over 2,000 centers nationwide, DNA Paternity Testing Centers is one of the largest, most affordable, networks of accredited DNA testing labs in the United States. Our price is unbeatable without sacrificing quality. We offer DNA testing for paternity, maternity and all other relationships (grandparents, siblings, aunts/uncles). Call us today at 866.944.9546 or ORDER ONLINE!

Gloria Lee always knew she was adopted at the age of 6 months. But it was never a big deal, Lee says. She had cousins who were adopted, so it was never a big deal. Lee never had a reason to look for her biological family.

But Lee was intrigued by a take-at-home test. Her first test didn’t reveal any family closer than a fifth cousin. To Lee, it wasn’t worth the effort to pursue contact and continued on with her life.

Then after seeing a half-priced take-at-home test a few months later, Lee decided to try again. This time the results indicated Lee had four half-sisters living in California! Lee sent them a message, exchanged photos, and the rest is history.

The sisters met shortly after and spent a whole week catching up. The sisters did know of Lee’s existence, but they explained their mother, Maxine, didn’t talk much about her. The sisters explained that in the five years before their mother’s death in 2007, Maxine wondered if Lee would come looking for her.

“It wasn’t meant to be,” says Lee. “That’s the way I look at it.”

Despite the disappointment of not meeting her mother, the five sisters have thoroughly enjoyed building a relationship and reminiscing over their late mother.

At DNA Paternity Testing, we love to bring families together. We provide rock-solid answers to important questions like parentage and ancestry.

With over 2,000 centers nationwide, DNA Paternity Testing Centers is one of the largest, most affordable, networks of accredited DNA testing labs in the United States. Our price is unbeatable without sacrificing quality. We offer DNA testing for paternity, maternity and all other relationships (grandparents, siblings, aunts/uncles). Call us today at 866.944.9546 or ORDER ONLINE!

It isn’t just your imagination. It seems everywhere you look there is a new ancestry or DNA test with some unique niche beckoning customers to learn more about their genes. They promise to reveal how your genes affect your athletic performance, your food cravings, or your risk for certain diseases. For many, the new categories are too good to pass up.

And their strategy is working. The data shows that direct-to-consumer DNA tests are bringing in major bucks with projected revenue to top $22 billion by 2024.

Direct-to-consumer tests like 23andMe, Orig3n, Ancestry, LivingDNA and allow the customer to swab their cheek or spit into a tube at home and mail it to a processing center. The customer’s genetic breakdown arrives a few days or weeks later.

Seems pretty easy, right? Why would anyone go to a testing center when you can do it from the comfort of your own home?

Among many reasons, Carolyn Applegate, a certified genetic counselor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine cautions that direct-to-consumer tests are not the same as ordered genetic tests.

Take-at-home tests only test for a handful of genes in the 3 billion human genetic sequence. The genes tested for are hugely impact by lifestyle, environment, family history, and other factors, which generic tests don’t take into consideration. This means that some flagged genes could be harmless, or some problematic genes could be completely missed.

Further, in the journal Genetics in Medicine, a 2018 study of commercial DNA tests revealed that 40% of variants in raw data were false positives!

DNA Paternity Testing is different. Our ordered tests provide rock-solid answers to important questions like parentage and ancestry.

With over 2,000 centers nationwide, DNA Paternity Testing Centers is one of the largest, most affordable, networks of accredited DNA testing labs in the United States. Our price is unbeatable without sacrificing quality. We offer DNA testing for paternity, maternity and all other relationships (grandparents, siblings, aunts/uncles). Call us today at 866.944.9546 or ORDER ONLINE!

You received the results of your DNA test and reviewed all the information. Some findings are intriguing, some clarifying, and some are confusing! Especially if you’ve used a direct-to-consumer test, you might be surprised that no further instructions are included. What should you do now?

First, it’s important to remember that genetic tests, while helpful, don’t have the final say on your health or future. Genes are largely impacted by lifestyle, environment, family history, and other factors. Genetic tests may not take these factors into consideration. Some “flagged” genes may not be a problem, while other problematic genes may go unnoticed.

Carolyn Applegate, a certified genetic counselor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine says, “It’s important to seek the advice of a physician or genetic counselor, regardless of whether your test results were positive or negative.”

Your physician or genetic counselor can take a full family history, talk through concerns, and be able to order more tests if needed. Interpretation is key to fully understanding your genetic test results.

Don’t be falsely assured of good health or immediately alarmed if certain genes are flagged. Take your any concerns to your physician or genetic counselor. Even if you’re pleased with your genetic results, it’s important to keep yearly check-ups with your physician.

At DNA Paternity Testing, our tests provide rock-solid answers to important questions like parentage and ancestry.

With over 2,000 centers nationwide, DNA Paternity Testing Centers is one of the largest, most affordable, networks of accredited DNA testing labs in the United States. Our price is unbeatable without sacrificing quality. We offer DNA testing for paternity, maternity and all other relationships (grandparents, siblings, aunts/uncles). Call us today at 866.944.9546 or ORDER ONLINE!

Genetic Testing Advancement is Outpacing Interpretation

The high demand for genetic testing has pushed genetic technology to continue to advance. Beyond simple confirmations of immediate heritage, genetic testing can now look back as far as 10 generations, see the migration patterns of your ancestors, and more. Some companies even claim their specific tests can find the right weight loss program for you. (However, we know this isn’t true.)

But all this additional information is only helpful if you know what to do with it. And unfortunately, even many experts don’t know.

Physicians are increasingly facing the problem that genetic technology has outpaced their ability to interpret information. DNA contains countless pieces of information, but science is still far off from understanding the implications of each gene and mutation.

Take-at-home tests only give you the results, not the interpretation of those results. Participants may find something concerning—like a family member with breast cancer—and take these concerns to their physicians. Unable to accurately interpret genetic test results, many physicians may order unnecessary medical tests for the sole purpose of protecting themselves from possible lawsuits down the road. These additional tests quickly add up to be a financial burden to patients, doctors, and insurance.

At DNA Paternity Testing, you work with a professionally-trained DNA Specialist who will be with you throughout the entire process. We provide clear answers to important questions like parentage and ancestry.

With over 2,000 centers nationwide, DNA Paternity Testing Centers is one of the largest, most affordable, networks of accredited DNA testing labs in the United States. Our price is unbeatable without sacrificing quality. We offer DNA testing for paternity, maternity and all other relationships (grandparents, siblings, aunts/uncles). Call us today at 866.944.9546 or ORDER ONLINE!

Free DNA testing: it’s too good to be true

The most recent trend in DNA scamming starts with a phone call asking if you have any family with cancer. For most of us, the answer to that question is ‘yes.’ You are then offered a free DNA test to reveal your chances of getting cancer.

Sounds too good to be true, right? That’s because it is. But unfortunately, this hasn’t stopped many people from falling prey to the scam.

Some scammers show up at your front door, but most scammers have been targeting senior living centers and offer to swab cheeks to scan for cancer. The scammers will then bill Medicare, but if Medicare doesn’t cover the test—and they likely won’t—the patient is left with the bill. Worse, DNA has been stolen and investigators aren’t sure what it’s being used for.

Michaela Sherbeck, APRN at Good Samaritan in Nebraska recommends that anyone approached with the scam should call their physician and inquire if their physician has written a referral for a genetic test.

At DNA Paternity Testing, you can rest assured that your results are safe with us! We use extreme measures to keep your medical information secure, especially with our home kits. We train all our staff on all HIPAA compliance policies and ensuring that all tests and counseling remain confidential.  We never sell or release your information except if needed to comply with HIPAA standards.

DNA Paternity Testing provides rock-solid answers to important questions like parentage and ancestry. With over 2,000 centers nationwide, DNA Paternity Testing Centers is one of the largest, most affordable, networks of accredited DNA testing labs in the United States. Our price is unbeatable without sacrificing quality. We offer DNA testing for paternity, maternity and all other relationships (grandparents, siblings, aunts/uncles). Call us today at 866.944.9546 or ORDER ONLINE!

It’s an age-old question, and one that many scientists have attempted to answer. Is there a gene that makes an individual more likely to be obese?

Unlike several diseases like Huntington’s and Tay-Sachs that are caused by a single gene error, there is no one gene that we can blame obesity on. There are thousands of factors—and genes—that contribute to obesity.

Sekar Kathiresan, a cardiologist at Harvard and a geneticist at the Broad Institute, and a team of experts set out to determine a genetic pattern for obesity. They hoped to find an answer for why some people struggle to lose or keep the weight off, or are prone to being obese.

Despite their large pool of subjects and millions of genes they analyzed, the findings weren’t conclusive. There was no genetic pattern that led to obesity.

Instead, the study found that the impacts to genetics starts at age 3. This means that preventing obesity starts much earlier in life than we all thought. Prevention of obesity was most successful when healthy lifestyle patterns were taught early in life.

Some of the study’s experts are disappointed that so much money is being poured into genetic analysis for obesity. Instead, they suggest an emphasis on a change to environmental factors, lifestyles, and behaviors that contribute to obesity, and teaching these to our children at young ages.

DNA Paternity Testing provides rock-solid answers to important questions like parentage and ancestry. With over 2,000 centers nationwide, DNA Paternity Testing Centers is one of the largest, most affordable, networks of accredited DNA testing labs in the United States. Our price is unbeatable without sacrificing quality. We offer DNA testing for paternity, maternity and all other relationships (grandparents, siblings, aunts/uncles). Call us today at 866.944.9546 or ORDER ONLINE!

That simple take-at-home DNA test you received at Christmas, a birthday, or other celebrations isn’t as innocent as it would seem. While many people are excited to learn their ancestral history and migration patterns, that knowledge comes at a high price.

The results from take-at-home tests are entered into an ever-increasing database of information. You can’t “retract” your DNA once it’s been submitted. One would assume that these databases are private, but it turns out many databases are used by law enforcement to determine criminals.

Both GEDmatch and Family Tree DNA confirmed that they regularly allow law enforcement to use their databases—a combined total of 2.2 million profiles.

While this may not seem like a bad thing, there could be severe repercussions. Namely, there are no laws surrounding law enforcement’s use of these databases. When law enforcement can take every measure allowed by the courts, there is the potential for abuse of DNA information.

Police will inevitably begin to overstep and apply genetic genealogy not only to major crimes like rape and murder, but also to minor crimes like trespassing. Crime victims may not report because they fear DNA testing of them or their families. Reports are even surfacing of how criminals can manipulate DNA profiles to mislead police.

However, at DNA Paternity Testing, you can rest assured that your results are safe with us! We use extreme measures to keep your medical information secure, especially with our home kits. We train all our staff on all HIPAA compliance policies and ensuring that all tests and counseling remain confidential.

DNA Paternity Testing provides rock-solid answers to important questions like parentage and ancestry. With over 2,000 centers nationwide, DNA Paternity Testing Centers is one of the largest, most affordable, networks of accredited DNA testing labs in the United States. Our price is unbeatable without sacrificing quality. We offer DNA testing for paternity, maternity and all other relationships (grandparents, siblings, aunts/uncles).

Call us today at 866.944.9546 or ORDER ONLINE!