Millions of consumers have already had genetic testing using a direct-to-consumer (DTC) kit, and thousands more will find one under their Christmas tree in a few days. In addition to learning that they are 14% Dutch and have sticky ear wax, thousands of people will...
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic test kits appear to be more popular than ever this holiday season. In my ongoing journey to take every major genetic test kit on the market, I ordered an ancestry-based kit a few weeks ago. The kit was easy to order online, and the...
Seven years ago, if you had told me that I would ever author an article by this title, I would have laughed. I was not a fan of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing and was an unapologetic critic. But it’s hard to ignore how the world of genetics has changed...
As a certified genetic counselor, one of the most common questions I’m asked is whether people who are adopted should have DNA testing through a direct-to-consumer (DTC) testing company. I’ve found that the reasons adoptees, or the parents of...
As a genetic counselor, it is always challenging to tell the patient sitting in front of you that she carries a genetic mutation (or a pathogenic variant, as it is now called) that could negatively impact her health. But perhaps more challenging, is telling the person...