A reporter from the MIT Technology Review discusses her experience of consumer genetics company 23andme, and reviews the future relationship between consumer genetics and the health industry. An excerpt follows, please click here for the full article.
“For now, the biggest problem with consumer-friendly genetic products is simply that they may be medically inconclusive for most people. Indeed, I was more interested in the result that my genome was 2.7 percent Neanderthal (a tad higher than the 2.6 percent average for people of northern European descent). But as the costs of medical care continue to skyrocket and many individuals look for more opportunities to control their own health, these tests—if they become more powerful—could become an essential tool for understanding our bodies and helping guide us to behaviors and choices that will lead to better outcomes.”