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After reading a comprehensive report on their own personal genome, consumers reported knowing less about genetics than they did before.
Wait, what? How could that be?
You’ve heard of people getting a genetic test for a specific condition – parents-to-be seeing whether they are carriers for inherited conditions. Personal genomic testing goes much further than that. Instead of looking for one or a few specific genetic markers, the test results include a huge array of genetic variants which may range from the simple and trivial (can I curl my tongue?) to the complex and serious (do I have an elevated risk of heart disease?).
Personal genomic tests might be ordered through a health care professional — but not necessarily. There’s also direct-to-consumer (DTC) personal genomic testing, in which the consumer places an order with a private company, sends in a sample of their DNA (a bit of saliva or blood), and receives their results directly from the company.
Related on the SLP
As part of the ongoing Impact of Personal Genomics Study, new customers of DTC genomic testing companies agreed to complete surveys about their experiences. Among other things, we asked them to rate their own understanding of genetics and genetic testing
Which brings us to the plot twist. After receiving their direct-to-consumer genomic test results, the participants as a whole were quite a bit less confident in their understanding of genetics. In fact, it wasn’t even close.
Read full, original post: Genomic Testing Makes Consumers Less Confident in Understanding Genetics (And That’s Probably Okay)
