由 home-healthhaven 
Imagine being able to uncover your genetic secrets for about the same cost as a night out at the movies and dinner. That’s the promise of at-home DNA testing kits, which might soon be widely available.
Already, around 180,000 people have taken advantage of this service, offered by 23andMe, the world’s largest private genomics company. For $99, they get their DNA analyzed for over 200 health risks and traits.
This test has been life-changing for many, including Karen Durrett and Carole Kushnir. Durrett discovered a critical health condition and found her biological father, whom she had never met. Kushnir learned she had a genetic mutation that significantly increased her risk of ovarian and breast cancer. Further testing showed that other family members carried the same mutation.
California-based 23andMe, co-founded by Anne Wojcicki (wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin), expects the cost to drop further with new funding. The company aims to have over a million users by the end of the year, with customers in the US and the UK, where the kits are sold by mail order.
But not everyone is thrilled. Scientists, doctors, and bioethicists worry that people might misunderstand their results, leading to unnecessary anxiety or false security. Some fear that these tests could prompt needless medical procedures or stress over conditions that might never actually develop.
Using the kit is simple: you either swab your cheek or spit into a test tube, then send the sample to a lab like 23andMe. There, researchers look for common genetic variants that can indicate risks for diseases such as diabetes, various cancers, Alzheimer’s, obesity, and Parkinson’s disease.
Durrett used the kit to investigate some health concerns. She discovered she had breast cancer and that her supposed father was not her biological dad. This led her to find her real father and a half-sister, who was also battling breast cancer.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is against using these kits on children, although some parents argue they want to know any potential risks. Medical professionals caution that only actionable medical information should be shared. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has likened early-stage personalized genetic profiling to being ‘not ready for prime time,’ much like the early days of Saturday Night Live.
While the medical community debates the public availability of this technology, companies like 23andMe are forging ahead to ensure it gets into as many hands as possible.