3 ms·
In one case, Navigenics called a donor's risk of prostate cancer above average, while 23andMe and deCODE considered his risk average and Pathway judged it to be
by AngryParsley 16y ago
In one case, Navigenics called a donor's risk of prostate cancer above average, while 23andMe and deCODE considered his risk average and Pathway judged it to be below average, the report said.
In another instance, a donor had a family history of heart disease, the report said, "yet all four companies predicted that she was at average risk for having a heart attack."
Both of these examples are incredibly weak evidence. You need statistics to find the accuracy of these products, not anecdotes. Anyway, your genes are a more accurate gauge of disease risk than family history. When a doctor asks about family history, they would prefer to take a look at your genome. It's easy to have a family history of heart attack while having an average risk yourself. If your ancestors had typical genes, but lived a different lifestyle that caused them to be more prone to heart attack, they'd have heart attacks. Hell, they could just be unlucky.
- carbocation 16y ago> Anyway, your genes are a more accurate gauge of disease risk than family history. When a doctor asks about family history, they would prefer to take a look at your genome. This is not currently true, though in the far future it will be. Modern genetics has been slammed (unfairly, I think) for the fact that your genetics do not increase discrimination when compared to models including family history. In other words, for virtually every human disease, family history is a better predictor of risk than is your genetic profile. I stand to benefit personally and professionally when genetic risk overtakes family history, but it simply hasn't yet.