Personal trainer Glenn Hill talking about the hot topic of the new DNA Health Tests
“Know More About Yourself” they say on the advert
There has been loads of talk about these new dna tests that are available in boots that can warn you of ailments that you may have, food intolerances etc or your likely health events from looking at your DNA.
These tests are relatively new to UK but have been around in the States for ages with a couple of founder companies folding due to lack of evidence.
The facts
When the FDA (Food and Drug Administration)USA petitioned for proof and substantual evidence from 23andme and other genetic testers no actual evidentual proof was ever provided and this is why the FDA wants to know how predictive and accurate the risk estimates are. Its request were very reasonable, because the risk calculations of the company rely heavily on unproven assumptions.
These assumptions which the customer totally believes to be true and actionable....
In fact in November 2013 when 23andme were cited over the “publics health consequences of inaccurate results” of the home DNA test and forced the company to no longer marketing it as a diagnostic tool - something they have never really stopped doing.
So just like Lorisian/York intolerance blood testing in UK there isn’t enough independant proof just yet, so dont go running to your doctor straight away with your findings. If enough evidence was out there it would have been provided when the Government agency requested it.
Data Protection?
Risk of losing your private information, lots of our US friends across the pond are worried about providing DNA samples that could possible be used by anyone.
Dont get me wrong my DNA is already out there, pre Afghanistan Op Herrick Tours they take DNA swabs so they can find out what body part belongs to you when you are blown to pieces. We where led to the belief that our DNA could be used if needed by government agencies.....oh well its too late for me.
DNA capture agencies collect a lot of personal information, but they share it in broad situations, including with law enforcement (“Personal Information can be subject to disclosure pursuant to judicial or other government subpoenas, warrants, or orders, or in coordination with regulatory authorities.”)
Even if it isnt used by the government there is a future risk of it being used for targeted marketing, there is a familial link between the owners of Google and 23andme. Paranoid? (one of the founders of 23andMe, Anne Wojcicki is married to Sergei Brin, the founder of Google.) In the early days Google billed itself as a custodian of the consumer, a company devoted to building the best tool in order for us satisfy our cravings for information on the web. Google’s search engine did just that but now it also makes 10$ a quarter on selling your private information to other companies for targetted marketing. So 23andMe could do the exact same thing when they have a huge database of DNA.
Having bought into the blood intolerance testing by York labs just to do some research and find out that there is not enough independent testing i am waiting out on 23andme to see how reputable the company is, after all they are around to make cash. Also waiting out to see how credible their findings are. Lets wait to see the next bit of negative press over 23and me?
It seems the Company are writing their own rules, making some interesting medical finds but also marketting themselves as something they may not be.
Hopefully in the future this DNA testing can lead to cures of lots of disease until then i am still on the fence.
Glenn(on the fence ) Hill
There has been loads of talk about these new dna tests that are available in boots that can warn you of ailments that you may have, food intolerances etc or your likely health events from looking at your DNA.
These tests are relatively new to UK but have been around in the States for ages with a couple of founder companies folding due to lack of evidence.
The facts
When the FDA (Food and Drug Administration)USA petitioned for proof and substantual evidence from 23andme and other genetic testers no actual evidentual proof was ever provided and this is why the FDA wants to know how predictive and accurate the risk estimates are. Its request were very reasonable, because the risk calculations of the company rely heavily on unproven assumptions.
These assumptions which the customer totally believes to be true and actionable....
In fact in November 2013 when 23andme were cited over the “publics health consequences of inaccurate results” of the home DNA test and forced the company to no longer marketing it as a diagnostic tool - something they have never really stopped doing.
So just like Lorisian/York intolerance blood testing in UK there isn’t enough independant proof just yet, so dont go running to your doctor straight away with your findings. If enough evidence was out there it would have been provided when the Government agency requested it.
Data Protection?
Risk of losing your private information, lots of our US friends across the pond are worried about providing DNA samples that could possible be used by anyone.
Dont get me wrong my DNA is already out there, pre Afghanistan Op Herrick Tours they take DNA swabs so they can find out what body part belongs to you when you are blown to pieces. We where led to the belief that our DNA could be used if needed by government agencies.....oh well its too late for me.
DNA capture agencies collect a lot of personal information, but they share it in broad situations, including with law enforcement (“Personal Information can be subject to disclosure pursuant to judicial or other government subpoenas, warrants, or orders, or in coordination with regulatory authorities.”)
Even if it isnt used by the government there is a future risk of it being used for targeted marketing, there is a familial link between the owners of Google and 23andme. Paranoid? (one of the founders of 23andMe, Anne Wojcicki is married to Sergei Brin, the founder of Google.) In the early days Google billed itself as a custodian of the consumer, a company devoted to building the best tool in order for us satisfy our cravings for information on the web. Google’s search engine did just that but now it also makes 10$ a quarter on selling your private information to other companies for targetted marketing. So 23andMe could do the exact same thing when they have a huge database of DNA.
Having bought into the blood intolerance testing by York labs just to do some research and find out that there is not enough independent testing i am waiting out on 23andme to see how reputable the company is, after all they are around to make cash. Also waiting out to see how credible their findings are. Lets wait to see the next bit of negative press over 23and me?
It seems the Company are writing their own rules, making some interesting medical finds but also marketting themselves as something they may not be.
Hopefully in the future this DNA testing can lead to cures of lots of disease until then i am still on the fence.
Glenn(on the fence ) Hill
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