The 23andMe experience is designed to be user-friendly. Individuals interested in viewing their health and ancestry through the lens of their personal genetics use a home-based saliva collection kit to provide their saliva sample. Depending on the type of service, they may receive access to more than 180 reports through a private and secure online account from the comfort of their homes.
1. Obtain and register a kit
2. Submit saliva sample
3. Explore results
4. Participate in research
Customers purchase their kits online at 23andMe.com or through our authorized retailer without medical requisition.
Customers create their accounts and register their kits. They are able to consent to participate in research, to allow 23andMe to store their sample and to opt in to receive health reports. They are required to complete an educational module prior to viewing their results. Sensitive reports, such as Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, MUTYH-Associated Polyposis, BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants), and Hereditary Prostate Cancer (HOXB13-Related), require additional opt-ins. Customers are encouraged to speak with their healthcare providers or meet with a genetic counselor prior to testing.
Customers submit saliva samples from their homes by following a simple set of step-by-step instructions. 23andMe’s DNA collection kit is FDA-cleared for use with our Genetic Health Risk, Cancer Predispositions, Pharmacogenetics, and Carrier Status reports and manufactured in accordance with FDA’s current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations.
The saliva sample is mailed to the lab in pre-paid packaging. All samples are processed using using a leading technology to genotype an individual’s DNA – a custom version of the lllumina Global Screening Array. This technology allows the identification of specific genetic variants that can be informative about the customer’s health and ancestry.
10+ reports
Familial Hypercholesterolemia Atrial Fibrillation Coronary Artery Disease High Blood Pressure LDL Cholesterol Type 2 Diabetes
5+ reports
45+ reports
50+ reports
5+ reports
Depending on which service they have selected, customers can gain access to more than 150 interactive reports*, online tools (Inheritance Tracing, Automatic Family Tree Builder, Share and Compare and DNA Relatives), education modules and other helpful resources, including the 23andMe Customer Care team.
Customers are encouraged to share their results with their healthcare provider. It may be advisable under certain circumstances to refer patients to a genetic counselor. They can also locate a genetic counselor near them through the National Society of Genetic Counselors.
Genetic counselors can help navigate common questions, such as:
80% of our customers choose to participate in 23andMe research by answering online survey questions. On average, a customer who opts in to research contributes to more than 200 studies on topics that include behavior, cancer, dermatology, hematology, immunology, musculoskeletal, neurology, psychiatry, reproduction and rare disease. By participating in online surveys and allowing researchers to combine their aggregated, de-identified genetic data with over 2 billion other data points, customers can help drive scientific and medical discoveries forward. See our list of publications here.
We also collaborate with leading researchers in academia and pharma from around the world to improve understanding of the underlying genetics of certain diseases, which could lead to better diagnostics and treatments. Our research communities have included lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, fertility, pain and major depressive/bipolar disorders. See our current community research efforts here.
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