3 ms·

Pretty well known by who? The general population? I don't think so. And there's a difference between "not perfect" and "doesn't provide the same result twice".

mtgx 8y ago
Yeah, I think most people would be surprised to learn that the same blood tests done by different labs can sometimes show 10% difference in values or even more. This could be the difference between a doctor declaring someone "within the normal range" or having a health problem.
kingkawn 8y ago
"Not perfect" is the hand-waving way of excusing the imperfections and proceeding as though it were nearly perfect "doesn't provide the same results twice" is the honest acknowledgement that the concept of perfection is itself what is flawed here because it creates false expectations of what science can give us in this arena
- semi-extrinsic 8y ago
  No no no, "science" can definitely deliver repeatable and accurate DNA sequencing, this much is beyond question. But that's expensive, and these companies sacrifice accuracy/repeatability to make it cheap.
  - kingkawn 8y ago
    The accuracy of these tests at these prices is a falsehood that science cannot support The accuracy of the broad conclusions drawn from population wide samples about any single individual’s ethno-historical origins is a falsehood that science cannot ethically or logically support
- CloudNetworking 8y ago
  "Not perfect" is when it fails a small number of times. Not getting the same result twice is pretty much 100% failure :-)
freedomben 8y ago
I tend to agree, and since people are convicted and incarcerated on "DNA evidence," this seems an appalling and horrific indictment on the fairness of our court systems.
- MadcapJake 8y ago
  Comparing two DNA samples for identification of a culprit is totally different from determining the percentage of differing heritages that make up your DNA. Frankly I am skeptical that they could even ascertain any semblance of your heritage but I'm definitely a layperson.
baddox 8y ago
Really? Taking a pregnancy test more than once and getting a second opinion about a medical diagnosis are certainly both well established in public consciousness.
- klmr 8y ago
  Maybe so but the kind of genotyping test that we are talking about is vastly more accurate than an over-the-counter pregnancy test, both in the mind of the public and in actual fact.

mtgx 8y ago

Yeah, I think most people would be surprised to learn that the same blood tests done by different labs can sometimes show 10% difference in values or even more. This could be the difference between a doctor declaring someone "within the normal range" or having a health problem.

kingkawn 8y ago

"Not perfect" is the hand-waving way of excusing the imperfections and proceeding as though it were nearly perfect "doesn't provide the same results twice" is the honest acknowledgement that the concept of perfection is itself what is flawed here because it creates false expectations of what science can give us in this arena

semi-extrinsic 8y ago
No no no, "science" can definitely deliver repeatable and accurate DNA sequencing, this much is beyond question. But that's expensive, and these companies sacrifice accuracy/repeatability to make it cheap.
- kingkawn 8y ago
  The accuracy of these tests at these prices is a falsehood that science cannot support The accuracy of the broad conclusions drawn from population wide samples about any single individual’s ethno-historical origins is a falsehood that science cannot ethically or logically support
CloudNetworking 8y ago
"Not perfect" is when it fails a small number of times. Not getting the same result twice is pretty much 100% failure :-)

freedomben 8y ago

I tend to agree, and since people are convicted and incarcerated on "DNA evidence," this seems an appalling and horrific indictment on the fairness of our court systems.

MadcapJake 8y ago
Comparing two DNA samples for identification of a culprit is totally different from determining the percentage of differing heritages that make up your DNA. Frankly I am skeptical that they could even ascertain any semblance of your heritage but I'm definitely a layperson.

baddox 8y ago

Really? Taking a pregnancy test more than once and getting a second opinion about a medical diagnosis are certainly both well established in public consciousness.

klmr 8y ago
Maybe so but the kind of genotyping test that we are talking about is vastly more accurate than an over-the-counter pregnancy test, both in the mind of the public and in actual fact.