A New Company will read your Genome for $1000

[Knut]

http://www.wired.com/medtech/genetic...12/ff_genomics

This new age of genomics comes with great opportunity — but also great quandaries. In the genomic age, we will no longer have the problem of not knowing, but we will face the burden of whether we want to know in the first place. We'll learn what might be best for us in life and then have to reckon with the risk and perhaps the guilt of not acting on that knowledge. We will, counterintuitively, face even more pressure to conduct our lives carefully, strictly, and cautiously; we'll practice the art of predictive diagnosis and receive a demanding roster of things to avoid, things to do, and treatments to receive — long before there's any physical evidence of disease. And, yes, we will know whether our children are predisposed to certain traits or talents — athletics or music or languages — and encourage them to pursue certain paths

ANyone here personally interested???

It raises some questions about what you should know about your health. On one hand knowing that you may be predisposed to heart disesase will probably kick you in the ass to be healthier... but what about something that there is no cure for... like Alzheimers ?? Do you really want to know?

I personally am extrememly interested in this, and will likely do this int he next couple of years if the cost does in fact come down to the $1000.00 dollar level.

Thoughts?

[Torture]

Wow, really interesting stuff.

Would definitely be a bummer to find out you were predisposed to an uncureable disease though....at least you'd be able to make the best of the time you had though I guess.

I'd be willing to fork over money to figure that kind of stuff out!

[Locke]

I dont need a scientist or $1000 to tell me how screwed up I am. Trust me, even they wouldnt be able to figure it out.

On the 'kid' aspect. Its clearly a lie.

Everyone knows kids arent good at anything. Its a fact, look it up.

[Prototype]

Does it take into account the enviroment that you're going to be subject to in the future? I mean I'm sure I'd be awesome at learning French... I just didn't have the interest, and put myself in situations where I didn't have to learn it (dropping it in Jr. High to take Home Ec... mmmmm cinnimon buns.)

[FireFly]

Well here's the thing. I have this opportunity and can do it for free, though they're only testing me for certain hereditary diseases that run in my family. Do I want to know if I'm predisposed to them? If I'm not, do I get to avoid the unpleasant tests every couple years? They get spaced apart further, I don't avoid them completely. If I am, I get them more often... not to mention that I don't have life insurance yet... which I definitely have to get first before I decide if I want the test.

I don't know yet if I'm going to get the tests. I suppose it's something I should really think about though.

[Hack&Lube]

If i had a spare $1000, I would not hesitate to this this in a heartbeat.

People have paid more throughout history for shoddy fortune telling about their heath, future prospects, potential, etc.

[mac_gurl]

I don't think it would bother me for two reasons. If it tells me i am likely to get breast cancer, or what not, i would make a point of going for a mammogram more often, so i could catch the disease earlier. Secondly, my dad is adopted, so i really have no idea about that side of my life, and what might be in my genes.

[urban1]

Getting DNA tests such as this may yield a lot of interesting results. A lot people may realize their "parents" arent really their parents. And lot of men may realize their raising someone elses children.

[jammies]

One day - hopefully after I sucker some poor woman into marrying me - you'll check your genome as a matter of course against your mate, to see if they are the kind of prime genetic material that will pass on your love for sugar donuts wrapped in bacon. "Honey, I love you - but the charts show our kids are pre-disposed to like country music, and I'll always be a jazz guy."

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Locke

I dont need a scientist or $1000 to tell me how screwed up I am. Trust me, even they wouldnt be able to figure it out.

On the 'kid' aspect. Its clearly a lie.

Everyone knows kids arent good at anything. Its a fact, look it up.

It's true. Kids are for fags.

[maverickeastwood]

Is it just to have a look or manipulate?

[worth]

I really don't care. Even if I had all the money in the world, or if it was free I wouldn't do it.

Once you learn what "could" happen or what you're predisposed to, you will either drive yourself to go in that direction or steer clear of it, thus changing your life.

I don't see the fun in that.

In addition, I have issues with handing over my DNA to a private company to examine and store in a database, but that's just me.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by maverickeastwood

Is it just to have a look or manipulate?

Look at it.. basically you get a report of your genetic origins (what part of the world) and what traits you carry.



IN respect to giving your DNA to a private company, i believe that the law will be that you have ownership over it.. and can destroy it at any time..
Although i would like a Hesla clone... that would be sweet... as long as it wasnt evil.

[photon]

Wow, this is pretty cool. At $1000 it's within range of most people who would really want to know, and at that price I wonder if it wouldn't make sense for a country (like Canada) to make it part of basic health care!

Imagine if you did this to everyone... Keep in anonymous if you have to, but you'd be able to plan the health care needs for society ahead of time! Focus research on areas that are increasing. Maybe find patterns and information that can help health overall long term.

On a personal level I'd do it. If many do, I imagine the price would fall too.

[notoepik]

If I could keep the information private I would do it.

I have had the opportunity to have genetic testing done, because of a hereditary cancer in my family. But I don't want that information part of my medical history for insurance purposes. Thus I have never had the genetic testing done. My children and myself simply must be careful and have periodic ultrasound testing in lieu of actually knowing of we carry the gene.

If I could have that information privately, I would most certainly do it.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by photon

Wow, this is pretty cool. At $1000 it's within range of most people who would really want to know, and at that price I wonder if it wouldn't make sense for a country (like Canada) to make it part of basic health care!

Imagine if you did this to everyone... Keep in anonymous if you have to, but you'd be able to plan the health care needs for society ahead of time! Focus research on areas that are increasing. Maybe find patterns and information that can help health overall long term.

That's actually a really good idea. Wrought with the danger of misuse but if done properly, dynamite.

Spend a grand now instead of potentially 100's of thousands dollars down the road on someone who is likely to have heart or blood pressure issues for instance.

[Dion]

Just studying ones family history can give one clues if one is predisposed to certain diseases. Like, my father passed away from Colon Cancer a few years back so i'll be sure to get those tests done a regular basis.

Now, would I pay to have this done? I'd have to give it some thought.

[maverickeastwood]

It all sounds good as long as you have money...what about those that do not? Soundsd like an excercise in eugenics to me.

[photon]

Those with money will always have an advantage over those who do not, this is no different. Keep in mind too that the only advantage this gives is knowledge of potential risks so one can make lifestyle choices to help combat it.

Eugenics is already in place in a way, we keep the sick alive far longer than they would be naturally, people that are "less fit" from a natural selection point of view live and breed when they would have been selected out in the past.

[foofighter15]

Originally Posted by Locke

I dont need a scientist or $1000 to tell me how screwed up I am. Trust me, even they wouldnt be able to figure it out.

On the 'kid' aspect. Its clearly a lie.

Everyone knows kids arent good at anything. Its a fact, look it up.

Well they definitely can't act.

I've spent over $1000 trying to figure out what is wrong with my knee and hip, and in 6 years I have got no progress. I don't see this helping