DNA testing has moved from specialist laboratories into the consumer wellness market, promising to reveal everything from ancestry and inherited traits to potential health risks. But discovering more about your genes can also create difficult questions about what the results really mean — and what you should do with them.
Direct-to-consumer genetic tests typically require a saliva or cheek-swab sample that is mailed to a laboratory. Customers can then receive reports covering selected health traits, ancestry or genetic variants. Unlike clinical genetic testing, however, consumer tests often examine only a limited number of variants and are generally not designed to provide a definitive medical diagnosis.
That distinction became particularly important for six professionals interviewed for the original feature, whose experiences showed very different reactions to genetic information. Some used their results to reinforce lifestyle changes, while others viewed DNA as another source of information rather than something that should dictate their decisions.
Andrey Berdichevskiy, a partner at Boston Consulting Group, described genetic testing as a natural extension of his data-driven approach to health. After a newer analysis indicated an elevated risk for Type 2 diabetes, he said the result reinforced his efforts to reduce sugar and pay closer attention to his diet.
For Tim Schwartz, founding partner at Wholesome Capital, the value of testing depends largely on whether the information can lead to a practical action. His approach reflects a broader question surrounding consumer genetics: knowing a risk exists is useful only if the person understands what the result actually means and what can reasonably be done about it.
Maaike Steinebach, founder of FemTech Future, described a more dramatic experience after learning that she carries a genetic variant associated with increased Alzheimer’s risk. She said the result prompted changes to her approach to diet, exercise and alcohol and influenced her thinking about midlife health. However, genetic risk does not mean that someone will inevitably develop a disease, and the significance of any individual result depends on the specific gene, variant and broader medical context.
Dr Sinead Sheridan, a clinical exercise physiology lecturer at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, approached testing in the context of a family history of cardiovascular disease. Her experience illustrates an important principle of genetics: genes can influence disease risk, but lifestyle and environmental factors also play major roles.
Other experiences demonstrate why a reassuring DNA report should not automatically be interpreted as an all-clear. Celine Sciortina, group vice-president of brand and marketing at FWD Insurance, underwent testing after being diagnosed with breast cancer and received a negative result for the particular inherited risk she was investigating. Her experience highlighted the fact that many cancers and other diseases can occur without an identifiable inherited genetic cause.
Medical guidance also warns against treating consumer DNA reports as definitive. Direct-to-consumer tests may miss genetic variants, produce results that require confirmation and fail to account for non-genetic causes of disease. A negative result can therefore provide false reassurance, while a positive result does not necessarily mean a person will develop the condition.
There is another issue that cannot be separated from the decision to test: privacy. DNA is uniquely identifying information, and genetic data can reveal information about biological relatives as well as the person who submitted the sample. Consumers should understand how a company stores genetic information, whether data can be shared for research or other purposes, how samples are handled and what happens if the company changes ownership or ceases operating.
Unexpected discoveries can also extend beyond health. Genetic testing may reveal previously unknown biological relationships or ancestry information, potentially affecting other family members who never agreed to take a test themselves.
For anyone considering a test, the key issue is therefore not simply whether the technology can produce a fascinating report. It is whether the particular test examines information that can be meaningfully interpreted, whether follow-up testing is available and whether the company’s privacy terms are acceptable.
Health authorities recommend discussing significant genetic findings with a healthcare professional or genetic counsellor before making major changes to treatment, diet or lifestyle. Consumer testing can provide useful information, but it is only one part of understanding a person’s overall health and family history.
The growing appeal of DNA testing ultimately reflects a desire to know more about the future. But the most important question may not be what a genetic report reveals — it may be whether we are prepared for the uncertainty, privacy implications and unexpected discoveries that can come with knowing.
