FDA Authorizes Ten 23andme Genetic Health Risk Reports
I&#x27;m surprised to see all the fear-mongering in this thread.<p>We leave genetic material behind everywhere we go.  23andme analyzes only a small subset of one&#x27;s DNA.<p>The most important thing to realize about genetics is that very few health conditions (and even traits) are highly correlated with a specific genotype.<p>Some are, but the reason something like 23andme hasn&#x27;t revolutionized health is because the correlations for most things are weak.  23andme does a good job of showing just how weak in the results.  I&#x27;m 52% likely to have the eye color I have even though both parents have that color. I&#x27;m the tallest in my generation (in my family) yet my genes are mostly for below average height.<p>Over time, with a lot more data and a lot more correlation analysis with health and behavioral data, there will be more actionable information for the average customer.<p>As it stands, 23andme is useful for the following reasons:<p>- the data is entertaining. It&#x27;s fun to find out how much neanderthal DNA one has, etc.<p>- the ancestry results are interesting.<p>- the health results make it clear just how little impact genetics has in most aspects of health. Yes there are some big exceptions, but those are a minuscule percentage.<p>By joining 23andme you get a chance to watch the studies unfold and plug in your own data.  For a curious, patient person, this offers a great way to make an interesting area of science a bit more salient.