What do you think about DNA testing?

jdandy

jdandy

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There are some companies offering individual DNA testing. Ancestry.com and 23andMe.com come to mind among others. This type of testing can provide ancestral information, as well as provide data associated with a person's proclivity to various heath issues, and critical identification data. There are lots of people participating. There are also lots of people who are concerned about privacy issues and the accumulation of data that could find its way into private and/or government databases.

The YouTube channel SmarterEveryDay recently put together a video that took an inside look at the company 23andMe. I found the presentation enlightening. Assurances aside on the use and storage or destruction of DNA samples, I remain uncomfortable about providing DNA samples to "for profit" companies whose revenue streams can be dramatically enhanced by marketing data over and above the scope advertised by said companies.

What are your thoughts on commercial DNA testing?


 
I still need to watch the video. I wanted to share people need to do their research and check these companies out, I think they are bogus. My daughter sent hers off to be tested, she is into the family tree thing. Let me first say my wife and I both have Irish and I'm also German, so I expected my daughter to have a report containing a large Irish heritage. Well, to my surprise her DNA test came back she is like 75% Spanish. I'm like really? And just had to laugh, she has nothing in her looks to lead anyone to believe she has any Spanish what so ever. In fact, when she was born and most of her early school days her hair was nearly white.

So when I see those commercials on TV like the guy who thought he was German and turns out Scottish, I'm thinking, yeah, that's what will happen, they'll tell you anything. It's a waste of money. I really wonder if they even test it.
 
Brian.......Kind of funny, but as I am reading your post the sidebar ad on this page is for Ancestry DNA Test Kit. Go figure. Those web search engines are working overtime.
 
OK, watched the video. I'm not sure which company my daughter used, I'll still say check reviews, BBB, etc. The video was more into the privacy aspect of things.
 
I did it (23&me) last year and shared the results on Gedmatch. Since then, I was able to find 1 new relative and 3 to 4 other Independent groups of relatives that I am SURE are related 2 to 3 of them I knew (or knew about) from childhood and lost contact with and the others share common surnames and ancestral birthplaces.

While they may not be 100% accurate and you have to corroborate with anecdotal and documentation for confirmation, they are VERY useful in building up that family history and connections.
 
I don't understand why anyone would do this. What possible impact can the result have? Knowing that there is some distant relative of mine alive somewhere does not interest me. Also if it would turn out I'm 50% Mexican and 50% Norwegian (as example) would not have any impact on my life.
 
Mordante said:
I don't understand why anyone would do this. What possible impact can the result have? Knowing that there is some distant relative of mine alive somewhere does not interest me. Also if it would turn out I'm 50% Mexican and 50% Norwegian (as example) would not have any impact on my life.
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Sometimes people would like to know their cultural makeup. For instance a person, with a dad they have never met and have no clue about their genealogy on the fathers side. A DNA test like noted above gives a person that bit of information they would have never be able to obtain. What good or benefit they get out of it, is thats person choice to pursue or not.
 
While I haven't tried it, I would be more interested in knowing about any possible genetic diseases, or anything along that line. I could give a sh!t about ancestors, but knowing I might be predisposed to some disease would allow me to make a life style change, or get regular tests for said issue.
 
Mordante said:
I don't understand why anyone would do this. What possible impact can the result have? Knowing that there is some distant relative of mine alive somewhere does not interest me. Also if it would turn out I'm 50% Mexican and 50% Norwegian (as example) would not have any impact on my life.
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I found many long lost relatives who had moved to other countries!
 
I am highly skeptical that your DNA information won't end up in government data bases regardless of what the sites tell you. I won't be surprised if that in the near future everyone will be required to give a sample of their DNA under some false pretense of why it's necessary.
 
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