[mdlug] DNA Insights - Sequence or test your DNA for health reasons

[Ron]

Gib wrote on 2025-12-08 10:40:

> What do you folks think about getting your DNA tested?

Skeptical for commercial services.


Interesting comments on an ArsTechnica.com article just yesterday about
genetic testing on dogs. As usual, the commentariate has relevant
experience.


Here's one comment, edited for relevance:

https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/12/why-is-my-dog-like-this-current-
dna-tests-wont-explain-it-to-you/?comments=1&post=44126048

> This is a nice reminder that all direct-to-consumer genetic testing 
> is for entertainment purposes only. You send your sample and money 
> and you get a pretty report with some personal trivia you can share 
> at your next Christmas gathering. Any information that the test 
> provider claims is linked with health outcomes should be actually 
> confirmed by clinical genetic testing and discussed with a genetic 
> counselor.
> 
> (Source: I work in clinical genetic testing, and have fielded 
> requests like "omg my 23andme test told me I have [incoherent babble 
> about genetic disorder], why doesn't your clinically validated test 
> say the same thing!?")





> Computers and AI are making this possible.

AI is relevant here how? Wasn't most of this pattern matching, etc. 
possible prior to AI?



> What other advances have we seen?
PCR was huge, Crispr looks interesting, promising, and scary.