News — WASHINGTON (December 21, 2018) — You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why, DNA tests are coming to town.
The DNA testing kit has become a popular holiday gift, with 100 million people expected to have used a direct-to-consumer (DTC) DNA test by the year 2020. However, ‘you better watch out’ is right, and it may be wise to understand the pros and cons of shipping your saliva across the country to be analyzed by a DTC company.
, MS, LCGC, professor of oncology at the and director of cancer genetic counseling at the , there are a few considerations to make before gifting or using one of these kits.
While learning about your ancestry, family origins, ethnicity breakdown and relatives can be fun, it is also possible to find out unexpected information. “Discovering you have half-siblings you didn’t know about, for example, could raise some questions you didn’t want to ask,” says Peshkin.
Peshkin also says that there is a mix of information that a person can receive from a DTC company and it is not always reliable. While some information can “warrant a discussion with a genetic counselor or health care provider,” other information garnered from the test can prove to be “wrong or misleading.”
She says, “You might think it’s cool to learn about your genetic wake-up time, but may not be prepared to learn about your risk for cancer or Alzheimer’s disease.”
While seemingly less exciting, Peshkin recommends talking with your family members about their health history. Discussing information shared by family members with your doctor could be more accurate and helpful in the long-run.
Lastly, if privacy is important to you, Peshkin doesn’t recommend sending out your DNA to a relatively unknown source. “You may think you’ve gotten a great gift, but paying someone to take your DNA who will then sell it makes you the generous one!”
Whether you decide to give someone a DNA kit or you receive one yourself, remember to tread lightly, Peshkin says. If you want more information on your health history or your genes in general, but are wary of trying a DNA testing kit, you do have other options. “Reach out to someone like me, a genetic counselor, if you need some help,” says Peshkin.
Peshkin reports having no personal financial interests related to DTC DNA testing kits.
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