Your online DNA profile
An article in the NY Times caught my eye today. Two companies, 23andme and DeCode Genetic, launched a new service that allows you to build your personal DNA profile. 23andme is owned by the wife of Sergey Brin, Google’s co-founder. Not surprisingly, Google invested $3,9 million into the company.
For as little as $1000, you can mail them a sample of your saliva. After a few weeks, they will give you access to your personal online DNA profile. It will contain a wide array of information, such as information on your ancesters and your chance of getting certain diseases. The latter of course relies on statistical data and gives no guarantees. Already 3 companies have announced that they will be marketing these services.
The idea behind this new service leaves me both scared and thrilled. What if you get a lot of bad news? What if your genes are so bad that (statistically) you should have died already? What if you want children, but your DNA profile tells you have a very high chance of giving birth to a handicapped child? What if this information falls in the wrong hands? I wonder if we are meant to know these things. Anyways, I will be following their developments closely.
Those that are interested in the NY Times article can read it here. It’s written by journalist Amy Harmon, who got a chance to “beta test” 23andme’s service.