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$999 For a Complete DNA Scan, Worth it?
DoroSurfer writes "ZDNet is reporting that 23andme.com will open its doors on Monday, allowing you to send them a cheek swab and have your DNA analyzed for $999 (plus shipping, of course... ;)). So what's a thousand bucks buy you? They can tell you your ancient ancestry, They can tell you what diseases you're predisposed to, They give you a "Gene Explorer" that allows you to do a search in your genome to find out if you have a certain gene (e.g., you just heard on the news that Gene XYZ has been linked to Alzheimer's Disease)."
Looks like someone hasn't watched Gattaca.
They may have a nice privacy statement, but that doesn't mean any thing if they aren't really enforcing it. Who knows?
Hopefully this wont become mandatory for job applications, like credit reports are in some cases...
No sig for the moment.
I'm going to wait for the full genome scan. Early adopters here will be getting much less than the real thing. With X-prize still contests around for genome scanning, it should not be too long. I want every C, T, G, and A.
After that, I'm all for it. Not even a needle prick is needed.
$99.98
You come from monkeys
I'm a 6' 5" muscular, blonde, blue-eyed swede. I can tell pretty well what my DNA is, it's AWESOME, thank you! So no it's not worth a grand.
I got a catholic block.
Need information yoda does.
So basically, -1 troll/offtopic is really slashdots way of saying "I hate that you thought of something before me."
...it reveals my latent mutant abilities. I'm personally hoping to find out I can generate fire.
GetOuttaMySpace - The Anti-Social Network
How long will it be before they "lose" the gene data? Or maybe "share" the data?
Also given that the CEO is Sergey Brins wife, I wonder whether Google will get involved at one point?
This has already been mentioned, except last time the spotlight was on deCODEme by deCODE genetics which offers more details (1m vs. 600k "sites" of the genome) for less ($985 vs. $999).
I'd love to hear about the results, though.
For rich hypocondriacs. More seriously, I wonder what the implications are for the insurance, medical and even dating industries.
Very much worth it if one is interested in learning about and working to minimize one's genetic risks.
> $999 For a Complete DNA Scan
The word is "scam", not
"scan".
A nice call from your insurance company informing you that they are dropping your coverage due to a genetic predisposition for X disease.
I'm not tense. I'm just terribly, terribly, alert.
So, for you, information about potential problems leads to worry. Interesting. Would it not help to plan for the worst and live for the best?
That's a lot of money for a relatively new technology. While I think the idea is cool, I'd rather wait a few years when it's cheaper, works better, and there's more competition in the field. Let the early adopters pay the high fee and the rest of us can reap the benefits when the costs come down.
And of course, every year we'll have a better idea of what the results actually mean.
Maybe one day it will be as simple as a home blood-sugar test - "use this combination finger pricker/USB drive to get an instant scan of your DNA!"
I live a pretty healthy lifestyle as it is. And I know, based on family history what diseases I'm genetically predisposed. So, this service is worthless to me.
It sounds like you're the kind of guy this would be perfect for. Send it in, find out you've got some disease that's going to kill you when you're 45... well fuck that healthy lifestyle! Time to smoke, eat trans-fats, lots of red meat, hookers, high risk activities... all the good stuff!
I have a grandfather with Alzheimer's disease, a disease which if treated early can be very effectively treated extending your life and more importantly to me improving the *quality* of life. This disease begins with no symptoms and progresses slowly going possibly untreated for years. I for one would like the head start.
TODO create witty sig.
As anyone who's watched ST:TNG knows, a cheek swab isn't completely reliable. You need to have a long needle going into your abdomen in order to get pure enough DNA to make a clone.
Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
With regard to being 'worth it'. It's also worth noting that despite the article title, this isn't a complete sequence. 23andMe will scan ~550,000 Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) out of the (roughly) 10 million SNPs humans have, which is again quite different from a complete sequencing of the 3 billion base pairs in human DNA.
Windows in 6 Bytes (IA-32) : 90 90 90 90 CD 19
People frequently confuse microarray SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) studies with an actual DNA scan that identifies all 3 billion A,C,T and G bases in the human genome. This $1000 option looks at about 2 million KNOWN sites which vary between people. These mutations are not the ones that actually code for a disease, but because they happen to be NEAR the actual ones that do on the chromosomes, it is assumed that if you have the SNP mutation, you will have the disease-prone variant in your genome as well. The problem with this technique is that it only measures variants that we know about, whereas a true complete DNA scan would be the "gold standard" and provide you with the most detailed information possible. Unfortunately, a true DNA sequencing of this variety runs about $100000.
Apart from a few very strong known genetic associations, there is currently little that your genotype can tell you about your current or future well-being. The strong associations are so strong, chances are you already know about it (cos you or close family members have something wrong with you). The weak associations tell you things like your chance of heart problems might be 3% higher than the majority of the population because of a few SNPs.
It's possible that you could find some unknown aspects about your family history but you probably already know which part of the world your ancestors come from.
So it's a vanity project that costs $1000 and possibly compromises your privacy.
Our doctor advised us once that we should not do genetic assays unless it was a serious health situation. Anything that you learn in the negative direction may be grounds for future denial of health insurance coverage. If you're just curious -- it is probably better not to know.
As a science junkie (but engineer by day), it seems apparent that genetics technology could be as big as (if not bigger) than computer technology has been for the past twenty years. The problem is, someone with a BS in Software Engineering or Computer Science will start out making $50-%70k, while someone with a BS in Biology will only make about $30k. With those kinds of numbers, a scientifically inclined undergrad would be making a huge gamble by selecting Bio as a major.
My hope is that services like this will start to provide jobs for our current Bio grads, pushing the salaries up to a level that makes the choice of a Biology major much more desirable. Only then will the genetic revolution really start to take off.
A slashdotter who didn't build his own computer is like a Jedi who didn't build his own lightsaber.
While privacy is an issue, I think this sort of thing could an invaluable tool to know more about yourself. Some may want to not know about what they are predisposed to, but I have a hard time understanding why. Sure, you may be hit with something life changing, but those are things I want to know - the sooner the better too. Think of it this way, before you buy are car you should look into its safety, reliability, etc etc. - you look into the investment to know what you are getting into. The same can be said for the DNA decoding - you should know what kind of body you are walking around town with so you can accommodate for any shortcomings nature bestowed upon you.
You can claim ignorance is bliss, but seeking to be willfully ignorant of a subject is the height of irresponsibility.
On the question of whether or not it is worth it for $1000... well I think so. Look at things in the long run - you'll have in inside track on those insurance companies.
Invexi - a Phoenix, AZ based web design and web development company.
Ignorance is bliss. On the other hand, knowing that you are endangered of e.g. Parkinson's might be enough motivation to do something about it and maybe, just maybe, doing something about it might decrease the chances of actually suffering of the disease.
White House seeks to expand DNA database
Citizens, including juveniles who have been arrested for a crime(but not convicted) are being added to the governments DNA database.
We have the best government that money can buy.
I can't find who the CEO of 23andme is (after only 30 sec of research), but Anne Wojcicki is indeed at least co-founder of the company and member of the Board of Directors: https://www.23andmeobjects.com/res/1570/pdf/factsheet.pdf
Oh and Google is already involved in this company, they are an investor: https://www.23andme.com/about/corporate
the most surprising thing i have read so far is that there are still movie theatres charging less than $10!!
I forgot what I wanted to say, but honestly, it was important.
Having been previously misdiagnosed with Leukemia and acting on that diagnoses for almost a year, I can tell you that being told that I'm predisposed to something would make every day difficult and worrisome. Shoudl I eat that? Why do I have a headache? My feet are hot, is that a sign?
I would rather have it surprise me and then live every day for what it's worth. Else you might think you sick and run up a bunch of bills you can't pay when you find out you're fine.
National Geographic has a project called The Genographic Project that will take your DNA and trace the ancient travels of your ancestry. It costs $100+S&H and your data is stored along with an anonymous code only you know (before you send it in.) Then the group takes all of the data it gets and puts it all together to further their research.
The team behind the project has already collected thousands of samples from people worldwide who have interesting lineages (Indiginous people in xyz area) and found out some REALLY cool stuff.
The $1k thing seems like a privacy nightmare though.
-nick
Funnily enough, I got to reading about a similar service last week: The DNA Ancestry Project run by GeneBase (they've had banner ads all over ScienceDaily). As the name implies, it focuses on the Ancestry rather than giving information on disease susceptibility, though I think I remember reading that you'd have full access to your code online and be able to search it. Unfortunately, looking around for further info online returned a blog post full of commenters who were ripped off in a big way by the company. I'm not saying that any company running a similar service is also out to scam you, but I would generally encourage the buyer to be wary, particularly considering the cost of the service and how little and often vague our knowledge really is in this field at the moment.
I believe that a full sequence like Watson had could be done for as little as $100,000. If not now, then soon.
Exactly, and we don't have any particular reason to believe at this point, that those 550k include all of the ones that would be interesting anyways. A complete sequence would be far more useful even before we know what everything does, because later on one could reinterpret the sequence without having to do it a second time.
One could much more easily go in later and interpret the sequence, than have to do it a second time to fill in the missing gaps.
Personally, I'm going to pass at least until I can have my entire DNA sequenced. I may even then wait depending upon the level of concern I have for what is done with the information.
Do I want to know if x years from now I'm likely to come down with Parkinsons Disease? Not really, I'd rather just live my life than worry about the future.
I'd rather know sooner than later if I am going to have a terminal illness.
For one, preventative measures might make me live long enough for a cure if caught early on.
Secondly, I wouldn't worry so much saving for retirement or paying off bills. Seriously, it would suck to finally have all this money and then get too sick to enjoy life and die shortly thereafter.
"I am the king of the Romans, and am superior to rules of grammar!"
-Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor (1368-1437)
What if I sent a swab from a perspective mate to see what genetic anomalies she may contribute to offspring? What if I sent a swab from my child to see what genetic anomalies they may have? In neither case would it be consensual.
...but I can get my dog's DNA scanned for $100.
Seems overpriced to me. I already know I'm at risk for diabetes and heart disease, but I have no idea what breeds are mixed up in my mutt...
-F
Does the scan come back saying "You are a direct descendant of Adam"?
Alanis Morisette. That damn "Ironic" song isn't even ironic. It is the damn Murphys law!
Do you mean throw?
Ahhh... you seem to be new here. There is a new language that is growing like a cancer. It's called iEnglish. In general it has only a few additional syntactical rules over standard English and a blatant disregard for classic English grammar. Accompanying that are also rules of engagement for internet forums:
1. If you are below a certain level of intelligence and you think it looks cool, do it. Example: Can u read this?
2. The rules of standard English are kind of stodgy and don't really hold up well in polls. Just use whatever you think works and most people will know what you mean even if you don't write it correctly. Also make sure to embrace Appalachionics since it has a warm and homey feel that makes you seem like someone people would want to have a beer with: My warshing machine needs fixed. Or... The nukyelar family is important above else all!
3. Make sure to avoid using more than one or two sentences per paragraph and no more than four paragraphs when writing stuff unless you want someone to think you're boring. Example:
a. Good writing:
"That guy's a troll. He sucks donkey dicks
It's a good thing we're on Digg. None of those crappy Slashdotters.
Go back to Slashdot you asshat."
b. Bad writing:
"Please don't feed the trolls. If you pay more attention to them, they'll keep coming back and lower the tone. The other fallout, is that we have more noise vs. signal if you insist on engaging the trolls. This has been a truism since the beginning of Usenet. I should know, I was there..." (Goes on for ten paragraphs with endless words that are boring, like "truism". WTF is a truism and why should we know?)
4. Make sure to nip any kind of conversation in the bud that isn't beer drinker friendly. The best way to do that is to instantly refer to the poster as a troll if they say something you don't like. The second best way is to invoke Godwin's law even if it doesn't really fit. The main is to keep people from talking about stuff that sucks. Remember, if it won't play on Spike TV, The SciFi Channel, or G4, then it shouldn't be on line either.
5. Always ALWAYS A-L-W-A-Y-S use pictures of videos instead of writing. It's so much cleaner and easier to understand than all that messy and archaic mucking about with text. All you need is a photo or video the presents what you want it to say, then a subject like "Amazing thing!!!!" and you're all set. You'll be communicating in the 21st century in ways that would have had Gutenberg himself breaking out into a cold sweat over.
Welcome to the intarweb tubes. Don't forget to tip heavily!
-"...bad old ideas look confusingly fresh when they are packaged as technology" - Jaron Lanier (Digital Maoism on Edge.o
Funny as... I love it when one grammar Nazi corrects another.
Me? I wouldn't have used that colon. A comma would have done the job.
I does like proper English.
This post contains benzene, nitrosamines, formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide.
And we could do it even faster if it weren't for those black people slowing us down.
IMHO, Watson is no better than those damn trolls that posts comments immediately after articles appear. Sad that he could make a contribution to science, yet still be so immature and misguided.
I had a longer response to this typed up, but it was nearly incomprehensible. Here are the main points:
1: There's only about 20k-25k protein-coding genes (ORFs - open reading frames) in the genome.
2: There's a lot more going on in our cells than we know about. About a third of the mRNA transcripts in a cell can't be adequately explained by our current understanding of transcription.
3: Of the genetic diseases we know of, they can all (AFAIK) be explained by polymorphisms in the ORFs, or their associated regulatory elements. In other words, point #2 may not be as big of a deal as you'd think.
4: Sequencing your entire genome is entirely impractical. First, because a complete transcript is nearly impossible (centromeres and telomeres especially, but SINE and LINE elements as well); and Second, because our current tools wouldn't be able to pick out the unexplainable transcripts anyway. Then there's the matter of cost...
5: Due to the fact that they're targeting SNPs, I'm assuming that they're using a variation of Affymetrix or Nimblegen's microarray technology. SNPs alone won't explain some genetic conditions like Angelman and Prader Willi syndromes, which are due to genomic imprinting rather than coding sequences. (Same mutation, totally different phenotype - the difference is which parent passes the gene on to you). Diseases arising due to methylation or histone modification won't necessarily be detected in a SNP analysis.
In short, depending on how the SNPs were selected, the 550k may not be as limited as it sounds, and it's a big improvement over other available options. Having the sequence in its entirety may not have any real advantage over just checking the 550k SNPs. As far as privacy concerns go, proceed with caution.
"Operating systems suck: you're better off using only the BIOS" --trainsaw.com
It's likely that this will change in the future; sooner or later it's likely that somebody will figure out how to slow down or stop the damage to the brain characteristic of Alzheimer's, and if that was the case it'd definitely be worth knowing that you were on course to develop it. But that's not the current situation.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a rigged demo
--Andy Finkel (J. Klass?)
Does everyone know that this company is owned by the wife of Sergey Brin and funded by google? Maybe they want to search your genes next...
My UID is prime is yours?