You can learn about your DNA for $999
Posted On Tuesday, November 20, 2007 at at 2:58 PM by Eddie
Xinhuanet -- A Google-funded online company 23andMe launched a 999-dollar DNA test which can allow customers to learn about their inherited traits, ancestry and some of their personal disease risks, media reported Tuesday.
Users sign up for the DNA saliva test online and receive and return it by mail. Four to six weeks later, the results are online.
The Web site, which takes its name from the 23 pairs of chromosomes that make up each person's genome, says it will display more than a half-million data points in users' genomes in a form they can visualize and understand.
"Compare your genetic blueprint to your friends and family," the site invites.
Down the line, when the company's database is much larger, users will have the option to take part in scientific studies that could help researchers determine such things as who is in danger of having a life-threatening drug reaction or who may be more likely to benefit from a specific cancer treatment.
"The mission of 23andMe is to take the genetic revolution to a new level," said 23andMe co-founder Linda Avey.
"There wasn't an effective way for people to contribute," said fellow founder Anne Wojcicki, who has a background in health-care investing and is married to Google Inc co-founder Sergey Brin.
The site does not now make interpretations about a user's risk for developing such diseases as cancers, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes and others, although users could in some cases get help from genetic counselors or other experts to make some basic assessments.
