23andMe.com review

This is another post in the series on "Tracking: the other learning technology".

• Tracking: the other learning technology (overview article)
• Review of FitBit
• Review of myZeo
• Review of Lumosity brain games
• Today: the personal genome service (DNA) of 23andme.com 

What is it and what does it do?
Not so long ago, deciphering the human genome (DNA) was a major scientific undertaking requiring massive computing power. Nowadays, you can have your own DNA analysis for 99 US$. The 23andme.com service has almost reached 1 million users. When I ordered my kit at the beginning of the year, it costed 199 US$ and required a 9 US$ monthly subscription to their web site. But they recently announced to drop the subscription fee and lower the price of the kit to 99 US$. A DNA analysis is quantifying your genetic material.

The picture below shows the kit: basically they send you a tube to spit in and a prepaid envelope to send it back to their labs in Canada. A few weeks later, you can access your results on the 23andme.com site.

On the site, there's a whole section on your health, one on ancestry, and one on new research findings and surveys you are invited to participate in to help the research. The health section informs you on increased or decreased risk for certain diseases or traits or reaction to medicines - of course, only the impact that is genetically relevant, there are always other factors involved. For severe diseases like Alzheimer, you need to watch an instructional video explaining what the report actually measures and means and explicitly agree you want to know the data before you get to see it. Via the ancestry section you can track back your genetic sources, and find relatives who are also in the database (as said, they now have almost 1 million people in there). For potential relatives, you can send a linking request. And the 'ongoing' part of the site is the continuous research  done via surveys. You also get a mail when new research findings relevant to you are available.

How good or bad is it?
Our DNA is of course very sensitive, private information. The site aggregates all data for research purposes, but at the same time also provides many tools to protect your individual privacy. (And if you are paranoid, nobody says you need to use your real name on the site anyway.) Privacy and ownership of your own data is one of the critical success factors for the Quantified Self movement to succeed, and that's why I'm happy to see that the first widespread and commercially successful products are all situated in the health space - where privacy is a big concern.


From their terms:

• The 23andMe Service is for research, informational, and educational use only. We do not provide medical advice. You should not change your health behaviors solely on the basis of information from 23andMe. Keep in mind that genetic research is not comprehensive and the laboratory process may result in errors.

• You may learn information about yourself that you do not anticipate. Once you obtain your Genetic Information, the knowledge is irrevocable.

• You understand that by using the Services, you may be exposed to content that is offensive, indecent, or objectionable, and that under no circumstances will 23andMe be liable in any way for any non-23andMe content.

The site is user friendly, and since the price drop, very affordable. They now added a printable report that you can take to your doctor with the main findings.


Where's the learning?
But where's the learning? Well, as their terms state: once you obtain your genetic information, the knowledge is irrevocable. So there's some insights there. But unlike previously reviewed services like fitbit or zeo, there is no feedback loop here to learn from. Your DNA is and will remain your DNA and won't change.

The continuous learning is in my eyes on the other side: 23andme now own the largest and still increasing research database on the human genome in the world. Their 'business model' is to leverage this massive data for ongoing research (through surveys), and feed that back to subscribers. The learning is happening through research on the aggregated data. (In some extend, this is true for the other tracking tools: myZeo probably has the biggest database on sleeping patterns in the world.)

I found the service quick, insightful, high quality, a good balance between scientific and understandable language. I'm giving it a 4.5 stars.