KANSAS CITY, Mo. Its a quick test that can unlock the secrets of the past, present, and potential risks in the future.

But is the DNA test dilemma worth the risk?

According to MIT, more people took consumer DNA tests in 2017 than ever before. Most of those results were mailed to homes in the United States. If you crunch the numbers, about 25% of American adults have taken one of the popular at-home tests.

Massive price drops in 2017 led to a surge in popularity with several companies running Black Friday promotions offering test results for under $60, as well as other deals.

The market for the kits continued to grow because its a simple, easy test that can answer all kinds of questions we have about ourselves and provide answers to questions we dont even realize we have.

But, before you dive into your familys DNA makeup, there are some things you need to consider before buying a kit.

The Risks

There are many risks, that pop up when people start taking about these at-home kits. Ironically, the biggest risks dont have anything to do with health issues or previously unknown family members the tests may identify. Here are four of the biggest risks to consider.

Protect Yourself

Obviously, the easiest way to protect your DNA is to never submit it.

If youve decided that you want to go ahead with a test, you may want to consider taking to your doctor about it instead of grabbing a kit from the store. If a doctor takes your DNA sample, its protected by HIPPA, just like other medical procedures.

HIPPA determines how medical information can be shared. HIPPA doesnt cover consumer, or at-home, DNA kits. It actually falls under the authority of the Federal Trade Commission, which has different policies and protections.

While genetic testing can provide all kinds of information, how much do you know about the company youve chosen to do your DNA test?

If youre thinking about it

Here are four things to consider to help protect yourself in the future.

What if Ive already taken a test?

Youve taken the test and have your results. Now youre concerned about having those results floating around out there.

Dont panic, but keep in mind that the U.S Government has quality control guidelines. Because of those guidelines, companies are required to keep DNA information. That means if youve submitted your DNA, its not possible to completely delete the information.

However, all hope is not lost. This is the closest you can get to purging your information from four of the largest DNA Kit sites:

Ancestry

1. Sign into your Ancestry account2. Click on the DNA tab3. Choose Your DNA Results Summary4. Click Settings5. Choose Delete Test Results and enter your password again to confirm you want to delete the detailsIf you complete this process, you will permanently lose your ability to view any AncestryDNA data related to your search. It will also prevent you from showing up in any family finder searches.

23andMe

1. Sign into your 23andMe account2. Click on the account settings page3. Find the 23andMe Data4. Click on Delete Your DataIf you complete this process, you will have the option to download your data before its deleted.

MyHeritage

1. Log into your account2. Click your name in the upper-right hand corner3. Click Account Settings4. Click Delete Account at the bottom of the page

Living DNA

Youll need to contact the company at the help desk. Be prepared to provide your unique LD reference number and why youd like to delete your data.

Its also possible to revoke the permission if youve already allowed a company to share your data. Keep in mind it will be nearly impossible to delete your data from third parties that already have it on file.

Originally posted here:
Beware of these four risks when you share your DNA with a genetic testing company - WDAF FOX4 Kansas City

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