DISQUS

VentureBeat: 23andMe lets you search and share your genome — today

  • Steve Murphy MD · 2 years ago
    DIY genome testing. What's next DIY brain surgery? Who owns your saliva after you submit the sample? The Answer: Not YOU!
    I am certain 23andME will own it as the consent form stipulates. What do you expect from a company not run by professionals who took an oath to protect the patient.
    -Steve
    www.thegenesherpa.blogspot.com
  • GeneticsIsNotAJoke · 2 years ago
    I do not completely believe in the information about telling you how to live so that you can avoid certain diseases. The truth of the matter is that the exact science to predict such things DOES NOT exits and such speculations could cause a lot of panic among a person's life. What I mean is that there is no model which exists today, and predicts that if a person has a certain variant in his genome, he/she will get the disease in the future. Even if we assume that such a thing exists, i.e. if someone, somehow is able to test and tell you if you will get a disease in the future, NOTHING much can be done about it. The reason is simple: Pharama companies are not make PRE-Symptomatic drugs, i.e. they are only making drugs for diseases when you show symptoms of those diseases and almost nothing exists for you to take a drug, when you do not have the disease but might get it in the future. I believe such services by 23andme etc are just to increase panic in the world. Having said all this, it is definately a good service to offer, not now, but 10 years or so down the line, when you know exactly how these diseases are caused in the lifetime and when what can be done about them. I hope people really understand what they are doing before opting for such a service. If you have to get a disease in the future, it is better to enjoy your days in life till you get that disease, provided it is a disease for which nothing much can be done about it at this stage.
  • Mr. Gunn · 2 years ago
    Unsurprisingly, this stuff evokes strong emotions. I'm really tempted to scrape up the money, but I do worry a little about the security of my info.

    How long do you think it will be until insurance companies start requiring this at sign-up?