Personal genetic tests can benefit everyone

Anne Wojcicki, co-founder of the personal genetics testing company 23andMe, says that knowing your genes could save your life.

The following is an edited excerpt.

Learning about your genetics enables you to optimize your health. It will take us decades to understand all 3bn base pairs in the human genome, but today we already know what thousands of important genetic differences mean for individuals.

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We know that genes affect your risk for conditions like cystic fibrosis and breast cancer, and we know how your genes affect your responses to drugs like Warfarin. As genetic testing becomes more affordable, more people can benefit from understanding their genetics and use that understanding to improve their health, help them prevent the harmful side-effects of some drugs and potentially avoid preventable deaths.

Read the full post here: Know your genome: what we can all gain from personal genetics