I gotta tell you, it's not even perfect for commercial use. It could stand to improve overall. Let me know when that happens.

;)

I saw that article, No surprise to me but I've always been skeptical about the process. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a scam. They do run your DNA through a process. More of a recreational thing like having one's fortune told or naming a star.

Thinking about it more though, what bothers me is the lack of guidelines when you receive the information. Having a gene is so far from having a diagnosis, it's not even funny. For instance the BRCA gene. Everyone knows that one, right? Having the gene=having cancer sooner or later in most people's eyes. But that's just not true. Here, let me get the note from the cancer website:

It is important to note that these estimated percentages of lifetime risk are different from those available previously; the estimates have changed as more information has become available, and they may change again with additional research. No long-term general population studies have directly compared cancer risk in women who have and do not have a harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.

"different from those available previously...no long term studies". So who hears that part? Take it with a grain of salt part? It's just the if I have the gene, I will have the disease part people think about, then go out and have a double mastectomy. Ugh.

rob, your comment is on the money. We all know that far too often, people listen to or read or accept only what they want to hear and then ignore or overlook anything more on the particular subject. Even if the "anything more" is a caveat limiting or qualifying or cautioning about the information being presented or discussed. And sometimes especially if the something more comes along at a later time and suggests their views may be wrong or misguided.

Our knowledge of genes and how they work is going to explode this century. What this means for us normal, non-scientists remains to be seen. Good things? Bad things? Despite my life-long admiration of the scientific pursuit of knowledge, I'm not making any bets against Mother Nature.

23&me is for fun; that should be clear enough in their fine print. Or from basic reading about the field. "Buyer beware" for any advertising campaign, unfortunately.

I've always thought of those genetics testing kits as toys for adults. Some people put so much stock into their "findings" that they actually change aspects of their lives. For the most part, im one that has to see to believe. I dont believe in aliens or ghosts, either. Polygraph tests??? No. True forensics, yes.

And sometimes especially if the something more comes along at a later time and suggests their views may be wrong or misguided

I've heard of genetic testing done that gave a false positive after people have aborted babies. Mind you that's an extreme example of not even science has all the answers, but it's more meant to be we make the best decisions we can with the information we have. Genetics as a tool, as much as I hate to say it (it's my work world) is really in its infancy. We have a long way to go.

Yeah, I figured. I sent ours off to ancestry and haven't gotten the result back yet. I might also send it off to Nat Geo just for fun, just to compare and contrast.

Oh I'm not saying it's never an indicator, or your family should throw caution to the wind, you absolutely should be careful. What I'm saying is, it could indicate a tendency towards incidence, or it may not at all. There are patients who, on paper, totally "should have" a disease and don't. Why not? We just don't have enough answers.

Also, for a family that has no history, but a member has the gene without any corresponding symptoms or issues shouldn't go get a double mastectomy. Keep an eye on it, but anything more is probably overreacting.

Genetic testing is one tool, not a tool too be used in isolation.

There seems to be a problem with a number of things that are advertised and then there isn't the substance to back it up. Vitamins without the full amount of vitamin in it, drugs that destroy your healthy organ function while curing some symptoms for a while, diet foods that cause weight gain or metabolism imbalance, foods that are bereft of nutritional value. Time to crack down on these and ask companies for accountability. Support honest sellers and expose/ boycott dishonest ones.

I'm not sure why I feel this way, but I wouldn't be surprised if our discoveries and the broadening of our understanding of genetics wind up hitting a wall before too long, causing a delay. Just as has happened in physics and cosmology, with so many plausible but not fully resolved theories and observations.

Anyone looking to understand more about how human understanding of genes, DNA, and genetics overall have have developed over the years and where things (mostly) stand today will enjoy reading The Gene by Siddhartha Mukherjee. I did. He also wrote a very interesting book on cancer called The Emperor of All Maladies. Also worth reading.