Since <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/watson_and_crick.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Watson and Francis Crick</a> unlocked they mystery of DNA&#8217;s double-stranded helix in the early 1950&#8217;s, human understanding of genetics has grown by leaps and bounds. Less than 50 years after winning the Nobel Prize for their work, the ideas Crick and Watson put forth lead to the completion of the Human Genome Project (in 2003), giving scientists a remarkably clear picture of how humanity is constructed.
Now, 15-years later, technology has advanced to the point where anyone can swab the inside of their mouths and, for a nominal fee, gain access to their own genetic code. But to paraphrase renowned 20th century mathematician <a href="http://jurassicpark.wikia.com/wiki/Ian_Malcolm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ian Malcolm</a>, just because we can doesn&#8217;t necessarily mean we should, at least not without first performing our due diligence.
Before you jump on the DNA bandwagon, it&#8217;s important to stop and think about how your information will be used, and what control you have over your own DNA once you send in a sample. For example, is your DNA test kept private, or can it be sold to third parties? How secure is your data from hackers? Can an insurance company gain access? How about law enforcement? Are you able to <a href="https://futurism.com/home-dna-genomic-data">have the sample destroyed?</a>
These are just a few of the questions people should be asking before they allow a third party access to their very essence. Luckily, the following companies clearly answer these privacy concerns, and more, on their websites. So while it&#8217;s up to you to research which test is right for you, the following list will give you a nice head start.
<h1>Ancestry</h1>
<figure id="attachment_140875" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="size-full wp-image-140875" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2018/10/ancestry.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Unsplash</figcaption></figure>
Ancestry.com, the world&#8217;s largest for-profit genealogy company, turned researching family histories into a billion-dollar business. For its next act, the company is betting that consumers will be as interested in genetics as they are in genealogy. That&#8217;s why it&#8217;s now offering a detailed DNA test capable of tracing your genetic ancestry to &#8220;over 350 regions—sometimes down to a city.&#8221; Based on the results, the company is also able to offer possible ancestral migration patterns, DNA matches to living relatives, and an estimate of your potential ethnic makeup.
<a href="https://www.ancestry.com/dna/#faqSection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">As far as security is concerned</a>, Ancestry.com uses &#8220;industry standard security practices to store your DNA sample, your DNA test results, and other personal data you provide.&#8221; As an added precaution, your DNA information is stored &#8220;without your name or other common identifying information.&#8221; You also retain ownership of your DNA data, and can chose to have it deleted at any time.
<h1><a href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-8288732-12917102">23andMe</a></h1>
<figure id="attachment_140874" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-8288732-12917102"><img class="size-full wp-image-140874" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2018/10/23andme.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Unsplash</figcaption></figure>
Based in Mountain View CA, <a href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-8288732-12917102" target="_blank" rel="noopener">23andMe</a> takes its name from the 23 pairs of chromosomes found in a typical human cell. And like our previous entry, it offers a detailed genetic ancestry test which can trace your roots back to a 150 different geographic regions. But the company also offers a variety of reports that examine your health – including your risk for certain diseases, your carrier status for inherited conditions, and an analysis of other genetic traits.
In order to keep your information private, <a href="https://www.23andme.com/privacy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">23andMe assigns</a> a randomized customer identification number to your DNA sample and stores it in a &#8220;physically separate computing environment&#8221; from your personal information (name, credit card, etc.). You also control whether or not your saliva sample is placed in storage after the test is conducted, and whether your account is visible to other 23andMe members. The company will not share your results with third parties without your consent, including insurance companies or employers. It will also not share your information with the government unless legally compelled to do so with a valid subpoena, warrant or order.
<h1><a href="http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-8288732-13475217">Helix</a></h1>
<figure id="attachment_140873" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-8288732-13475217"><img class="size-full wp-image-140873" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2018/10/helix.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Unsplash</figcaption></figure>
Our next entry is <a href="http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-8288732-13475217" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Helix</a>, which also offers genealogical and health-related insights from genetic testing. However, what separates this service from competitors is the fact that it offers an &#8220;entire marketplace of products&#8221; of customized DNA research via third party vendors. As a result, users are able to &#8220;unlock more DNA,&#8221; which results in 100-times more data than your average at-home test. Helix and its partners then use this information to provide &#8220;more actionable insights,&#8221; such as how you can best optimize your workouts to lose weight, or &#8220;which wines taste best on [your] palate.&#8221;
All of Helix&#8217;s third-party vendors are required to &#8220;<a href="https://www.helix.com/pages/privacy-and-policy-highlights" target="_blank" rel="noopener">meet the standards that [Helix] established</a> when it comes to privacy, security, control, and experience.&#8221; The company also claims it will not &#8220;sell or share your DNA data without your permission.&#8221; That said, according to the Helix website, each partner sets its own policies for its products, so it&#8217;s up to users to do their own research before purchasing.
And as far as legal matters are concerned, &#8220;Helix evaluates law enforcement and other legal requests for data on a case-by-case basis.&#8221; If a request from law enforcement is made, the company&#8217;s policy is to notify the user &#8220;unless [they] are legally prohibited from doing so.&#8221;
<h1><a href="http://shrsl.com/18qa8">Embark</a></h1>
<figure id="attachment_140871" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://shrsl.com/18qa8"><img class="size-full wp-image-140871" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2018/10/embark.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Unsplash</figcaption></figure>
Last but not least, we have <a href="http://shrsl.com/18qa8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Embark</a>, a company that uses one of humanity&#8217;s greatest achievements to offer insights on man&#8217;s best friend. The test looks at 200,000 genetic markers to determine your dog&#8217;s breed, traits, and other useful information. More than a simple vanity project for purebred breeders, Embark allows everyday pet owners information on nearly 165 genetic health conditions, so that preventive measures can be taken. This could lead to smaller vet bills down the road, and more importantly, a longer, happier life for your four-legged friend.
And if your dog&#8217;s genetic privacy is something you value, you&#8217;ll be happy to know that <a href="https://embarkvet.com/frequently-asked-questions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Embark will never share identifying information without your explicit permission</a> (although the dog&#8217;s consent isn&#8217;t mentioned). And while the company does share aggregated, non-identifying information for research purposes, you are able to opt out.
Based on the popularity of genetic testing kits, there&#8217;s no shortage of people interested in using DNA to gain insights into their health and family history. In fact, the consumer genetic testing market is expected to grow into a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2017/may/25/dna-testing-we-created-the-market-for-what-we-do-living-dna-dnafit-geneu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$340 million industry by 2022</a>. But as mentioned above, trusting a third party with your DNA should not be a matter of faith. It&#8217;s important to understand how your DNA will be used, and who will have access. And while it&#8217;s ultimately up to you to decide what service to use, if any, the companies listed above have clearly stated their commitment to maintaining the privacy of their users and remaining transparent about how they use your DNA.
Futurism fans: To create this content, a non-editorial team worked with an affiliate partner. We may collect a small commission on items purchased through this page. This post does not necessarily reflect the views or the endorsement of the Futurism.com editorial staff.

Four genetic tests that will unlock your DNA while respecting your privacy

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These DNA testing companies can tell you a lot about your genetic history. But what's the best way to make sure your DNA info will stay private?

Four Genetic Tests That Will Unlock Your DNA While Respecting Your Privacy

Keep control of your chromosomes.

Diets have always gone through fads. The grapefruit diet, Atkins, paleo, Whole30 — like a many-headed weight-loss hydra, just as soon as one falls out of favor, another rises in its place.
The weight-loss technique du jour: DNA-based diets. Companies such as <a href="https://www.dnafit.com/us/diet/">DNAFit</a> and <a href="https://www.helix.com/shop/nutrition/">Helix</a> suggest consumers pay about $100 and a simple cheek swab; the resulting genomic analysis will purportedly show them what kind of diet will keep their bodies in peak health. Maybe a low-fat diet would work best to help you slim down — or maybe it&#8217;s a low-carb diet. These companies claim (with <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21747052">some scientific support</a>) that individuals&#8217; genomic code can hold information about a person&#8217;s propensity to obesity – and that the diets they suggest would counteract that. 
But a recent study shows these DNA-based diets may be just another fad.
<iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8yW3VEOjsl0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
In <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28027950">the study</a>, published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers put 609 overweight adults on one of two diets: a low-fat diet, or a low-carb diet. Both groups successfully implemented their new eating habits, and both lost weight over the course of the year. Using DNA tests, and by assessing a number of other biological factors, the researchers hypothesized whether a low-carb or low-fat diet should work for each person.
People in both groups did lose weight over the course of a year: an average of 11.7 pounds for the low-fat group, and 13.2 for the low-carb set. But the difference between how much weight people lost on average was so small that researchers don&#8217;t consider it to be statistically significant. And when they compared participants&#8217; genetic analysis across groups, they found no correlation. That is, people seemed to respond about the same to the weight loss regimen, no matter what their genetics might indicate. 
Someday, this could all change — DNA has the potential to help us figure out the best things to eat. DNA analysis yields pretty much the same results each time, but it&#8217;s the interpretation that varies because the results are probabilistic. A certain genetic variant might mean someone is more likely to display a particular trait, but it gets complicated when you start to take other genetic variants into account that might turn others &#8220;off&#8221; or &#8220;on.&#8221;
When you start to think about the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4422763/">effect of the environment</a> on these genes, the picture starts to get way more complicated. It&#8217;s all a matter of drawing conclusions from the data that&#8217;s available. For now, scientists haven&#8217;t been able to untangle all those factors. That will likely change as they get a better sense of the inner-workings of the genome. 
Yes, these diets could someday be much more prescriptive and individualized. But that day is not today. At least for now, these diets are pretty useless.
Here&#8217;s some good diet advice: eat more fruits and vegetables. That&#8217;s one tidbit that will never go out of style.

A genetic test to help you lose weight is just the latest fad, a new study shows.

Sorry, DNA-based diets don't work

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Diets personalized to individuals' DNA are all the rage. Unfortunately, they don't work any better than your typical diet, according to a new study.

Sorry, DNA-Based Diets Don't Work

Your genes don't hold the answers to all your problems. 

Sorry, DNA-Based Diets Don’t Work

<h2>Questionable Analysis</h2>
In 2015, three attorneys for the Legal Aid Society of New York decided to educate themselves on a DNA analysis program, developed by the New York City medical examiner&#8217;s lab, which was being used against one of their clients in an attempted murder case. After speaking to several scientists, the attorneys were astonished to hear their lack of confidence in the method.
In fact, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/06/a-reasonable-doubt/480747/" target="_blank">according to </a><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/06/a-reasonable-doubt/480747/" target="_blank">The Atlantic</a>, one scientist told them it was little more than a “random number generator.”
That program, known as the Forensic Statistical Tool (FST), is now officially under fire, alongside a method called &#8220;Low Number Copy Analysis&#8221; that has been used exclusively in New York for several years. In order to determine if either method led to inaccurate results during their use, in a letter from September 1st, the Legal Aid Society and Federal Defenders of New York asked the New York State Inspector General&#8217;s Office to investigate both methods for accuracy.
This letter was first reported by The New York Times and ProPublica.
<figure id="attachment_100449" style="width: 503px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="wp-image-100449 size-full" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2017/09/DNAtest.jpg" alt="" width="503" height="600" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">A trainee prepares sample bone fragments for DNA testing at the training lab in the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in New York. Image Credit: Bebeto Matthews</figcaption></figure>
At the present juncture, both of these techniques have been phased out in favor of newer technologies; however, within the last six years, FST was used in 1,350 cases. In the past 11 years, Low Copy Number Analysis was used in some 3,450 cases. The attorneys emphasized that inaccuracies from the techniques themselves, as well as suspected misuse of the methods, could have led to false convictions or unresolved cases.
This is a bit of a problem.
<h2>The Science Behind the Controversy</h2>
FST was developed to sort through evidence that has already gone through DNA analysis, including some created through Low Copy Number Analysis, and calculate the likelihood that a suspect&#8217;s DNA is present in samples taken from a crime scene. Because the program is relatively untested—its creators have declined to share its code with outside sources—there are concerns that it could have been turning up false allele matches, or missing them entirely.
Low Copy Number Analysis is meant to create a complete DNA profile from a tiny amount of genetic material—as little as 10 trillionths of a gram—by copying fragments found at a crime scene into a larger sample. This &#8220;amplifies&#8221; the material so that it can be tested as a whole. However, this technique carries a higher risk of contamination; critics say it could even implicate people who were never at the crime scene. Legal Aid attorney Julie Fry told the Associated Press that this technique is &#8220;like making a copy of a copy of a copy. Eventually, it&#8217;s going to be faded.&#8221;
Yet, not everyone feels that the methods are not sound. For example, in 2015, a judge in Queens found low copy number analysis to be scientifically sound, and some prosecutors and forensic experts continue to praise it as a powerful tool. Dr. Barbara Sampson, Chief Medical Examiner, wrote in a post published Wednesday (September 6, 2017) that the two methods were phased out to satisfy developments in FBI requirements and were not phased out because of inaccurate results: &#8220;Each technique has been intensively reviewed and approved for use in casework by the state-established oversight agency, including a panel of distinguished scientific experts, the DNA subcommittee of the New York State Commission on Forensic Science.&#8221;
Still, in 2015, Brooklyn state Supreme Court judge Mark Dwyer ruled DNA evidence obtained through the method to be inadmissible after the Legal Aid attorneys presented what they had learned from conversations with scientists. His reasoning was that &#8220;If the experts in the DNA field cannot agree on the weight to be given to evidence produced by high sensitivity analysis, it would make no sense to throw such evidence before a lay jury.&#8221;
Now, the letter from the Legal Aid Society and Federal Defenders of New York is reigniting an old debate and raising new questions about individuals who may have been misidentified.

Two forensic DNA analysis techniques are under fire for inaccuracies

Fingerprint Scanning on blue technology  Illustration

Hard Science

New York Legal Aid has asked the state attorney general to investigate two techniques used to analyze and sort DNA from crime scenes, which they say are unreliable and have been misused.

/Dna Analysis

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Two Forensic DNA Analysis Techniques Are Under Fire for Serious Inaccuracies

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