Curious About Genetic Testing?
Read This First Proceed with caution if you opt to try one of the many new at-home genetic testing kits like those from companies such as 23andMe and Navigenics which promise to unlock the secrets of your DNA using only a gob of your spit and anywhere from 79 to 2,500 of your dollars. Some scan for about 100 genes to find tidbits ranging from your risk for Parkinson’s to your chances of developing psoriasis; others scan only for genes linked to specific illnesses such as breast and colon cancer, Alzheimer’s, and celiac disease. Still others promise to trace your ancestry, determine paternity, predict your chances of going bald or even your perfect love match. Cracking your genetic code with just a cheek swab sounds like the stuff of sci-fi movies and is, potentially, an extraordinary leap for personalized medicine. But some tests are more accurate than others, and the results can be incomplete, misleading, and confusing, says Steve Keiles, president of the National Society of Genetic C
