This week, 23andMe updated its G6PD Deficiency Genetic Health Risk Report.* The update includes testing for an additional variant linked to G6PD  deficiency, a condition that can lead to episodes of anemia.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-28317 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/G6PD-Gene-300x185.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="185" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/G6PD-Gene-300x185.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/G6PD-Gene-768x473.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/G6PD-Gene-880x542.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/G6PD-Gene.jpg 887w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
The update makes this report more comprehensive and relevant to more people.
<h2>The G6PD Report</h2>
Two of the most common variants linked to G6PD Deficiency are V68M and S188F. Until today, 23andMe reported on just one of those variants, V68M. That variant is most common in people of African descent. It is also found in people of African ancestry, including Hispanic or Latino descent. Now, 23andMe has added another common variant, S188F, making the report relevant for more people. The S188F variant is most common in people of Southern European, Kurdish, Jewish, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, and South Asian descent.

Together these two variants make 23andMe’s report more comprehensive. The update is also consistent with 23andMe’s mission to ensure people, all people, can access, understand, and benefit from the human genome. This report is another one of our efforts to improve diversity in our reports.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-28318 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Updated-G6PD-Def-Report-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Updated-G6PD-Def-Report-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Updated-G6PD-Def-Report-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Updated-G6PD-Def-Report-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Updated-G6PD-Def-Report-880x586.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Updated-G6PD-Def-Report-1180x786.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Updated-G6PD-Def-Report.jpg 1942w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
The effort to update the report was informed, in part, by discussions with the <a href="https://g6pddf.org/">g6pd Deficiency Foundation</a>, which raises awareness of this little-known disease. The foundation encouraged 23andMe to expand the report&#8217;s scope by including this additional variant.
“This is a giant step for screening for G6PD deficiency and the timing is perfect,” said Keely Harris, President, and founder of the g6pd Deficiency Foundation.
<h2>The G6PD Protein</h2>
Harris said the foundation is currently working on a new awareness campaign.
The variants included in the report can reduce the levels or activity of an enzyme called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, or <a href="https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/G6PD">G6PD</a>. This protein helps protect red blood cells from damage. People with G6PD deficiency usually don’t have symptoms unless exposed to certain factors, such as certain medications, infections, or foods (like fava beans).
Specific triggers may vary from person to person, and many people with the condition do not experience symptoms. In a person with G6PD deficiency, a trigger can result in the destruction of red blood cells. If too many red blood cells are destroyed, this can sometimes — though not always — lead to episodes of anemia, which can be characterized by symptoms such as dark urine, fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath, and more.
<h2>Worldwide Impact</h2>
The National Institutes of Health estimates that about 400 million people worldwide have the condition. It is most common in people from certain parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean.
The G6PD gene is found on the X chromosome. Because it is inherited, males are more likely to have G6PD deficiency than females. About one in ten <a href="https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase-deficiency#statistics">African American males has G6PD deficiency</a>. Because these variants are so common among African Americans, it is not unusual for African American women to also have this condition.
23andMe’s test doesn’t diagnose<a href="https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase-deficiency"> G6PD deficiency</a>. Instead, it detects two common variants linked to G6PD deficiency. 23andMe’s updated G6PD Deficiency Genetic Health Risk report* is one of more than 10 Health Predisposition reports offered to new and existing <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry?mkbanner=true">Health + Ancestry Service</a> customers. These include reports that meet FDA requirements for Genetic Health Risks and reports powered by 23andMe research.
<h2>Note:</h2>
*The 23andMe PGS test uses qualitative genotyping to detect select clinically relevant variants in the genomic DNA of adults from saliva for the purpose of reporting and interpreting genetic health risks. It is not intended to diagnose any disease. Your ethnicity may affect the relevance of each report and how your genetic health risk results are interpreted. Each genetic health risk report describes if a person has variants associated with a higher risk of developing a disease, but does not describe a person’s overall risk of developing the disease. The test is not intended to tell you anything about your current state of health, or to be used to make medical decisions, including whether or not you should take a medication, how much of a medication you should take, or determine any treatment.  The G6PD genetic health risk report is indicated for reporting of the V68M and S188F variants in the G6PD gene and describes if a person has one or more variants linked to G6PD deficiency and an increased risk for episodes of anemia. The variants included in this report are most studied in people of African, Southern European, Kurdish Jewish, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, and South Asian descent.

A photo of people on the street in New York

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

Improvements to 23andMe’s G6PD Deficiency Report

<div id="attachment_28228" style="width: 268px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-28228" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mimi.png" alt="" class="wp-image-28228 size-medium" width="258" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mimi.png 441w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mimi-258x300.png 258w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 258px) 100vw, 258px" />Mimi in her 20s.</div>
 by Samantha Ancona Esselmann, Ph.D., product scientist at 23andMe
From an early age, I knew my great-grandmother had superpowers. “Mimi,” we called her. 
She was born in the late 1800s, earned a graduate degree from Berkeley in 1919, sipped a glass (or two) of sherry every evening, and charmed us with her wit until the very end. And, like her mother “Nanan” before her, Mimi lived to be over 100.  
During the course of her remarkable life that straddled three different centuries and two millennia, she survived tuberculosis (which killed her father), the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the 1918 Flu, retro-peristalsis (the reversal of intestinal smooth muscle movement), and two C-sections before the discovery of penicillin.
In her late 90s — coincidentally, during the late 1990s — she recovered from a broken hip, sepsis, and flu that would have felled a woman half her age. Well into her hundreds, she still walked every day, required no prescription medications, and ate ice cream every night. 
<h6>I thought she was invincible</h6>
When she died at 103 shortly after a bad fall, it wasn’t an infection that killed her. It was organ failure. Her own body simply turned off the switch. 
I think about Mimi — and her immune system — a lot. Apart from the obvious privilege that comes with being a white, middle-class woman in California, she lived a charmed life. 
And while Mimi’s immune system never faced this coronavirus, I wonder if some people are just born better equipped to fight infection than others? After all, each of us has that family member who “gets sick a lot” and that one relative who is “never sick” (lookin’ at you, Mom). 
We don’t know much yet about what factors can influence our immune systems’ responses to COVID-19. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-00257-5">Research shows</a> there are clear genetic differences in susceptibility to other infectious diseases — with much of that variation found in genes involved in the immune system.<a id="f1" href="#a1">[1]</a> 
 But our environment <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(14)01590-6">likely plays</a> a big role in how well our immune systems function, too.<a id="f2" href="#a2">[2]</a> 
 Good news for me because I probably only inherited around 12.5% of Mimi’s DNA. 
The more I learn about the complexity of the human immune system, the more I realize it may not have been a particularly “strong” immune response that saved Mimi. It might’ve just been the “right” response. After all, an overzealous immune reaction — like anaphylactic shock — can kill a person. 
And an overzealous immune reaction seems to be contributing to COVID-19 <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32192578">deaths</a>. 
<h6>COVID-19 vs. the Immune System </h6>
When a person is infected with SARS-CoV-2 (aka novel coronavirus), the virus invades cells lining the patient’s respiratory tract and hijacks their cellular machinery to make more coronavirus, which goes on to infect more and more cells. 
Next, the body’s immune system starts to take notice. But in some patients, the immune system gets carried away and they become sicker from their body’s own inflammatory response than from the virus itself. 
Widespread inflammation of the lungs — triggered by a wave of inflammatory molecules in your body called cytokines — can lead to a condition called Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, or ARDS. In ARDS, the barrier between the blood and the lungs’ delicate air sacs breaks down and the lungs fill with fluid. This breakdown impairs the lungs’ ability to oxygenate the blood and clear carbon dioxide, which can lead to organ failure. 
The drugs being deployed in hospitals to fight COVID-19 are not just experimental antiviral drugs like <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32152082">remdesivir</a>. <a id="f3" href="#a3">[3]</a> 
 Some of them are drugs that dampen the body’s immune response, in the hopes that they will give the patients a chance to take a deep breath (literally and figuratively) and get back to the business of fighting the virus. 
During recent infectious diseases division <a href="https://youtu.be/bt-BzEve46Y?t=2139">grand rounds</a> at UCSF, Dr. Michael Matthay, an ARDS expert and professor at UCSF’s Pulmonary Medicine department, speculated that once a patient has arrived in the ICU and developed ARDS, antiviral therapy may “not be effective.”<a id="f4" href="#a4">[4]</a> 
 Some experts think it may be more effective to intervene with antiviral drugs <a href="https://youtu.be/bt-BzEve46Y">during earlier stages</a> of the disease when symptoms are not yet severe.<a id="f5" href="#a5">[5]</a> 
 Or, perhaps an immune overreaction only affects certain patients, while others with severe symptoms could still benefit from antiviral treatment. 

So what can make some peoples’ immune response to COVID-19 different from others?
<h6>Sex and the Immune System</h6>
We’re beginning to see clear sex differences in the rate of COVID-19 infection and mortality: not only are men more susceptible to infection by SARS-CoV2, but they are also more likely to die from the disease. In a recent European surveillance report from the World Health Organization, about two-thirds of COVID-19 deaths that week were men.<a id="f6" href="#a6">[6]</a> 
 
Some of these differences could be environmental. In many parts of the world, for example, men smoke more than women (which reduces lung health) and men are more likely to have preexisting chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, or high blood pressure. 
But biological sex is known to play a differential role in the immune system. Women are much more susceptible to autoimmune diseases in which their own immune systems turn against them and attack healthy tissue such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and lupus. 
At the same time, women often have a more robust immune response to pathogens like viruses and bacteria — a pattern that may be repeated with SARS-CoV-2. 
Some researchers are <a href="https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-03-21/why-is-the-coronavirus-more-deadly-for-men-than-for-women">speculating</a> that women may have a stronger immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in the early stages of a viral infection than men. <a id="f7" href="#a7">[7]</a> 
 Compared to SARS (the classic kind), COVID-19 viral replication <a href="https://youtu.be/bt-BzEve46Y?t=442">seems to peak earlier and at higher levels</a> during the course of the disease, meaning an early and robust immune response could be the difference between life and death. <a id="f8" href="#a8">[8]</a> 
 
A delayed immune response can be doubly dangerous. After the virus has a chance to wreak havoc in the lungs, an overzealous immune reaction can set off a widespread inflammatory response that causes further damage, accelerating progression to ARDS.
But sex is not the only variable that influences our body’s ability to fight infection.
<h6>Age and the Immune System</h6>
You’ve probably heard by now that mortality from COVID-19 is much higher among older people. <a id="f9" href="#a9">[9]</a> (Though it’s important to note that all age groups are <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/18/u-s-official-says-data-show-severe-coronavirus-infections-among-millennials-not-just-older-americans/">susceptible to severe infection</a> and young people can die from it too.) 
Apart from being more likely to have chronic “comorbid” conditions such as heart disease, type II diabetes, or high blood pressure, older people are more likely to have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29111233">dysregulated immune systems</a>. <a id="f10" href="#a10">[10]</a>
Like a trailer slowly fish-tailing out of control, our immune system’s ability to cope with pathogens decreases as we age, and our inflammatory response <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18240544">increases</a>.<a id="f11" href="#a11">[11]</a>
Fewer precision-guided missiles. More carpet bombs.
While we may never be able to stop or reverse the aging of our immune systems — and genetics likely play a role that’s outside of our control — there are certain <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/well/live/can-i-boost-my-immune-system.html">things we can do</a> to slow it down and keep it in a “goldilocks zone” for as long as possible. <a id="f12" href="#a12">[12]</a>
Exercise. Get enough sleep. Avoid stress (where possible). And eat a healthy diet. 
Not too hot. Not too cold. Just right. 
Like Mimi. 
<hr />
<h6 class="footnotes">References:</h6>
<footer class="footnotes">
<code style="display: none;"> 
</code><code style="display: none;"> 
</code><a id="f1" href="#a1">[1]</a> Tian, C., Hromatka, B.S., Kiefer, A.K. et al. Genome-wide association and HLA region fine-mapping studies identify susceptibility loci for multiple common infections. Nat Commun 8, 599 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-00257-5. <a href=" https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-00257-5#citeas"> https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-00257-5#citeas</a></footer>
<footer class="footnotes">
<code style="display: none;"> 
</code><a id="f2" href="#a2">[2]</a>Broden P et al. (2015). &#8220;Variation in the Human Immune System Is Largely Driven by Non-Heritable Influences.&#8221; Cell. 2015 Jan 15;160(1-2):37-47. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2014.12.020.<a href="https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(14)01590-6">https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(14)01590-6</a></footer>
<footer class="footnotes">
<code style="display: none;"> 
</code><a id="f3" href="#a3">[3]</a>Martinez MA (2020). &#8220;Compounds with therapeutic potential against novel respiratory 2019 coronavirus&#8221; Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2020 Mar 9. pii: AAC.00399-20. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00399-20. [Epub ahead of print]<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32152082">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32152082</a></footer>
<footer class="footnotes">
<code style="display: none;"> 
</code><a id="f4" href="#a4">[4]</a>Martinez MA (2020). &#8220;Compounds with therapeutic potential against novel respiratory 2019 coronavirus&#8221; Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2020 Mar 9. pii: AAC.00399-20. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00399-20. [Epub ahead of print]<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32152082">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32152082</a></footer>
<footer class="footnotes">
<code style="display: none;"> 
</code><a id="f5" href="#a5">[5]</a> &#8220;UCSF Experts on the Epidemiology, Science, &amp; Clinical Manifestations of COVID-19, and UCSF Response&#8221; YouTube <a href="https://youtu.be/bt-BzEve46Y?t=2139">https://youtu.be/bt-BzEve46Y?t=2139 </a></footer>
<footer class="footnotes">
<code style="display: none;"> 
</code><a id="f6" href="#a6">[6]</a> &#8220;UCSF Experts on the Epidemiology, Science, &amp; Clinical Manifestations of COVID-19, and UCSF Response&#8221; YouTube <a href="https://youtu.be/bt-BzEve46Y?t=2139">https://youtu.be/bt-BzEve46Y?t=2139 </a></footer>
<footer class="footnotes">
<code style="display: none;"> 
</code><a id="f7" href="#a7">[7]</a> &#8220;Weekly surveillance report &#8211; COVID-19 
&#8221; WHO http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-19/weekly-surveillance-report</footer>
<footer class="footnotes">
<code style="display: none;"> 
</code><a id="f8" href="#a8">[8]</a> &gt; &#8220;UCSF Experts on the Epidemiology, Science, &amp; Clinical Manifestations of COVID-19, and UCSF Response&#8221; YouTube <a href="https://youtu.be/bt-BzEve46Y?t=2139">https://youtu.be/bt-BzEve46Y?t=2139 </a></footer>
<footer class="footnotes">
<code style="display: none;"> 
</code><a id="f9" href="#a9">[9]</a> &#8220;U.S. official says data show severe coronavirus infections among millennials, not just older Americans&#8221; STAT News 2020 Mar 18<a href="https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/18/u-s-official-says-data-show-severe-coronavirus-infections-among-millennials-not-just-older-americans/">https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/18/u-s-official-says-data-show-severe-coronavirus-infections-among-millennials-not-just-older-americans/</a></footer>
<footer class="footnotes">
<code style="display: none;"> 
</code><a id="f10" href="#a10">[10]</a>Pawelec G (2018). &#8220;Age and immunity: What is &#8220;immunosenescence&#8221; Exp Gerontol. 2018 May;105:4-9. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2017.10.024. Epub 2017 Oct 27. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32152082">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32152082</a></footer>
<footer class="footnotes">
<code style="display: none;"> 
</code><a id="f11" href="#a11">[11]</a> Franceschi C (2007). &#8220;Inflammaging as a major characteristic of old people: can it be prevented or cured?&#8221; Nutr Rev. 2007 Dec;65(12 Pt 2):S173-6. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18240544">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18240544</a></footer>
<footer class="footnotes">
<code style="display: none;"> 
</code><a id="f12" href="#a12">[12]</a> &#8220;Can I Boost My Immune System?&#8221; New York Times 2020 Mar 10]<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/well/live/can-i-boost-my-immune-system.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/well/live/can-i-boost-my-immune-system.html</a></footer>
<footer class="footnotes">
</footer>

COVID-19 and the immune system’s double-edged sword

As we celebrate <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/news/african-american-scientists/">Black History Month</a>, we want to raise awareness about some of the conditions 23andMe reports on that are more common in people of African descent. 
 
<h6>Sickle Cell Anemia<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Sickle-Cell-fact-452x586_x2-231x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-27924 size-medium" width="231" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Sickle-Cell-fact-452x586_x2-231x300.jpg 231w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Sickle-Cell-fact-452x586_x2-768x996.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Sickle-Cell-fact-452x586_x2-790x1024.jpg 790w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Sickle-Cell-fact-452x586_x2-679x880.jpg 679w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Sickle-Cell-fact-452x586_x2.jpg 904w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 231px) 100vw, 231px" /></h6>
About 1 in 13 African Americans have the genetic variant in the HBB gene that causes sickle cell anemia. Sickle cell anemia is characterized by anemia, episodes of pain, and frequent infections. Being a carrier does not mean you have the condition. A person must carry two variants in the HBB gene to develop this condition.
  
<h6>G6PD Deficiency</h6>
About 1 in 10 African American men have<a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/health-predispositions/g6pd-deficiency/"> G6PD deficiency</a>. People with this condition usually don’t develop symptoms unless they are exposed to certain triggers, including certain food, medications or infections.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/G6PD-fact-452x586_x2-231x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-27925 size-medium" width="231" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/G6PD-fact-452x586_x2-231x300.jpg 231w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/G6PD-fact-452x586_x2-768x996.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/G6PD-fact-452x586_x2-790x1024.jpg 790w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/G6PD-fact-452x586_x2-679x880.jpg 679w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/G6PD-fact-452x586_x2.jpg 904w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 231px) 100vw, 231px" /> 
<h6>Hereditary Amyloidosis (TTR-Related)</h6>
It is estimated that about 1 in 28 African Americans carry a variant linked to <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/a-new-23andme-genetic-health-risk-report-brings-to-light-underdiagnosed-condition/">TTR-related hereditary amyloidosis</a>. This little-known genetic condition is caused by the buildup of a protein called<a href="https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/TTR"> transthyretin</a> (TTR). This protein buildup can damage the nerves, the heart, and other parts of the body. Because the symptoms vary widely, the condition is often misdiagnosed.
<h6></h6>
<h6>Beta Thalassemia and Related Hemoglobinopathies</h6>
<a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/carrier/beta-thalassemia/">Beta thalassemia</a> is a genetic disorder characterized by anemia and fatigue as well as bone deformities and organ problems. Among those who are most impacted are people of North African descent. 
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/">23andMe Health + Ancestry Service</a> customers can learn more about these conditions by viewing their <a href="https://you.23andme.com/health/">health reports</a>.* <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/TTR-fact-452x586_x1-231x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-27926 size-medium" width="231" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/TTR-fact-452x586_x1-231x300.jpg 231w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/TTR-fact-452x586_x1.jpg 452w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 231px) 100vw, 231px" />
&nbsp;
African Americans continue to be underrepresented in genetic research, but 23andMe is working to change that with initiatives to improve the diversity in the science we do.  
 
Our mission has always been to help people access, understand and benefit from the human genome. We want to make sure that we&#8217;re doing that for all people. That means broadening the diversity and including populations that are not now well represented. 
&nbsp;
<div style="float: center; text-align: justified; width: 600px; background-color: #eee; padding: 15px; margin-left: 10px;">
<h6>Diversity in Research</h6>
 
For more than a decade now, 23andMe scientists have undertaken efforts to improve diversity in our research, particularly among African Americans and people of African descent. Some of those efforts include programs like our<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/news/announcements/roots-into-the-future/"> Roots Into the Future</a> study, the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/africa-project/">African Genetics Project</a>, and the recently completed <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/african-american-sequencing-project/">African American Sequencing Project</a>. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/AA-card-image-452x586_x4-150x150.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-27922" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/AA-card-image-452x586_x4-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/AA-card-image-452x586_x4-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/AA-card-image-452x586_x4-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/AA-card-image-452x586_x4-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/AA-card-image-452x586_x4-980x980.jpg 980w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" />23andMe now has one of the largest, if not the largest, cohorts in the world of genotyped and phenotyped African Americans who have consented to participate in research. This offers incredible potential to make new findings relevant to people with African ancestry. It has already allowed our scientists to conduct genome-wide association studies specific to people with African ancestry into such things as <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00439-017-1836-1">uterine fibroids</a> and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-018-0307-5">alcohol and tobacco use</a>. 
 
But we want to do more, so beyond the work, we and our collaborators have done, 23andMe is also working to improve research diversity more broadly.
 
Last year, we have made available the de-identified data from 23andMe&#8217;s African American Sequencing Project through the<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/"> National Center for Biotechnology Information’s</a> database of Genotypes and Phenotypes (dbGaP). Participants in this project were asked for an additional layer of consent beyond 23andMe’s normal research consent process. 
 
We’ve made great strides but we still have a long way to go. Learn more about 23andMe’s research <a href="https://www.23andme.com/research/">here.</a>
</div>
*The 23andMe PGS test uses qualitative genotyping to detect select clinically relevant variants in the genomic DNA of adults from saliva for the purpose of reporting and interpreting genetic health risks and reporting carrier status. It is not intended to diagnose any disease. Your ethnicity may affect the relevance of each report and how your genetic health risk results are interpreted. Each genetic health risk report describes if a person has variants associated with a higher risk of developing a disease, but does not describe a person’s overall risk of developing the disease. The test is not intended to tell you anything about your current state of health, or to be used to make medical decisions, including whether or not you should take a medication, how much of a medication you should take, or determine any treatment. Our carrier status reports can be used to determine carrier status, but cannot determine if you have two copies of any genetic variant. These carrier reports are not intended to tell you anything about your risk for developing a disease in the future, the health of your fetus, or your newborn child&#8217;s risk of developing a particular disease later in life. For certain conditions, we provide a single report that includes information on both carrier status and genetic health risk. For important information and limitations regarding other genetic health risk reports and carrier status reports, [visit  <a href="https://www.23andme.com/test-info/">https://www.23andme.com/test-info/]</a> [click <a href="https://www.23andme.com/test-info/">here</a>].

Raising Awareness

By Amanda McCorquodale
&nbsp;
Raising children often feels like watching my own little science experiment on the effects of nature versus nurture. While all the ingredients in the pantry were the same, it is clear that my daughters were baked with slightly different recipes.
<div id="attachment_27728" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-27728" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMGP7629-150x150.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27728" width="300" height="448" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMGP7629-685x1024.jpg 685w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMGP7629-201x300.jpg 201w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMGP7629-768x1147.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMGP7629-589x880.jpg 589w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMGP7629-790x1180.jpg 790w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMGP7629-scaled.jpg 1714w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Amanda&#8217;s twin girls.</div>
One has thick brown hair with brown eyes and the other thin blond hair and blue eyes. One gets intensely high fevers for just 24 hours while sick. The other will be mildly infirm for weeks before clearing a cold. One likes a scalding hot bath. Her sister can only tolerate lukewarm temperatures.

<h6>Getting Started with 23andMe</h6>
Our household presented almost the exact environment and lifestyle for both girls, yet their genes were taking them down different, often opposite, paths. While I conjectured who received which grandparent’s sweet tooth or hot temper, I became intrigued by a genetic test like 23andMe that could track some of these genetic traits. In reality, we are all so genetically similar— we are each about 99.5 percent identical — yet that very tiny difference is enough to make us each unique, even within my own family.
But trying out 23andMe was about more than just curiosity, I wanted to learn about my health too. Having just turned 40, I was curious to know more about what exactly was printed on my own recipe card, and how much of that I may have passed on to my daughters. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Whats-in-the-Kit-300x195.png" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-25528 size-medium" width="300" height="195" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Whats-in-the-Kit-300x195.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Whats-in-the-Kit-768x500.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Whats-in-the-Kit-1024x667.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Whats-in-the-Kit-880x573.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Whats-in-the-Kit-1180x768.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Whats-in-the-Kit.png 1822w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<h6>Registration, Considerations, and Consent</h6>
The small box containing 23andMe’s collection kit came quickly in the mail. After taking it out of the plastic wrap and sliding off the cardboard sleeve, the first step was to register the kit online to link my account to the actual barcode on the test tube inside.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Once I verified my email address, the web site ran through a list of choices I would be able to opt-in and out of, such as:&nbsp;
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/register_online-300x300.png" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-25131 size-medium" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/register_online-300x300.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/register_online-150x150.png 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/register_online-271x271.png 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/register_online-372x372.png 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/register_online-574x574.png 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/register_online.png 600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Whether to have my saliva sample stored or discarded after it has been analyzed</li>
<li>Which of the health reports — on conditions like Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease or Parkinson’s disease — I will view and/or opt-in to view</li>
<li>When and with which of my 23andMe DNA Relatives I share my information&nbsp;</li>
<li>To give or decline consent for 23andMe Research (more on this below)</li>
<li>Although not part of the registration process, it’s clear that if I change my mind about using 23andMe, I have the option of deleting my 23andMe account and my data at any time&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<h6> 
</h6>
<h6>Privacy and Consent</h6>
The registration site then presented me with a list of protections. 23andMe also provides additional information on its website about how my data would be kept private; these details are further covered in their Privacy Statement and Terms of Service.
There’s also a helpful link on all many of these steps for registering your kit. For example, I was assured 23andMe will never share my data with any public databases, insurance companies, employers, or law enforcement or regulatory authorities unless required by law. 23andMe also asserts that they have a Church and State-type separation in how information is handled. In other words, personally identifying information is stored separately from genetic data.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Privacy-275x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-23677 size-medium" width="275" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Privacy-275x300.jpg 275w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Privacy.jpg 636w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 275px) 100vw, 275px" />
&nbsp;
As the registration proceeded, 23andMe also prompted me to take a moment and consider all the possible implications of DNA testing. Essentially, you might find out something unexpected. &nbsp; For instance, I might learn that someone I thought was related to me isn’t actually a biological relative, or I might find out something else — a health risk for instance — that causes me anxiety. Anyone considering doing a DNA test will likely have thought about these possibilities at some point, but it was worth giving these implications more thought before sending my sample off.
&nbsp;
<h6>Participating in Research</h6>
Going back to the question about research consent, I was then asked if I want to participate in 23andMe’s research programs. While a DNA test is largely about uncovering more about oneself, it was interesting to think about how that information could also advance research.&nbsp; 23andMe explains what consenting to participate in research means. There is also a detailed explanation about the meaning of “individual data sharing.” There even is a heads up that if I decide to participate in research, I might be recontacted about specific research projects.&nbsp;&nbsp;
As I finished the process, 23andMe reviews which programs I have consented and gives me opportunities to contact a 23andMe representative to ask more questions. If later on, I change my mind about participating in research, I can remove my consent without changing my access to my results. In the end, the registration process, including considering the choices and consequences of those choices, took me about 15 minutes.&nbsp;
<h6>What the Sample Process was Like&nbsp;</h6>
<div id="attachment_27729" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-27729" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMG_7626-e1574291806161-225x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27729 size-medium" width="225" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMG_7626-e1574291806161-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMG_7626-e1574291806161-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMG_7626-e1574291806161-660x880.jpg 660w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMG_7626-e1574291806161-885x1180.jpg 885w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMG_7626-e1574291806161-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" />Just a little spit.</div>
Giving your sample is pretty straight forward, but as it turns out there’s actually an art to spitting into a tube. 23andMe’s kit consists of a test tube topped with a larger mouth funnel for ease of spitting, but a half teaspoon of saliva doesn’t seem like a lot until you actually sit down and do the deed.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
23andMe offers up some helpful suggestions and warns that you shouldn’t have eaten or drunk anything within a half-hour of giving your sample.&nbsp; If a case of sudden dry mouth occurs (as it did for me), 23andMe has a list of suggestions to get the saliva flowing again. (I found it particularly helpful to imagine the taste and smell of tart foods like lemons.)
&nbsp;
In the end, it took me about 20 minutes to generate the required sample. Once collected, I snapped the top of the funnel closed, which released a stabilizing liquid into the tube. I then unscrewed the funnel top and replaced it with the provided blue cap before placing the tube in the provided specimen bag. After packaging the kit with the provided mailing label, I placed the box in the mail.
&nbsp;
A few days later I received an email confirming that my sample arrived at the lab. This began the toughest part of the process, waiting on my results.
&nbsp;
Stay tuned for Part II to learn what it was like to get a peek into my own DNA and get my <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/">Ancestry + Health Service</a> reports.
Amanda McCorquodale is a freelance writer. Her work has appeared in Gourmet, Miami Magazine and Mental Floss. She previously worked as an associate editor at the Huffington Post and as an Arts and Culture Editor at the Miami New Times. She lives in New York with her family.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Amanda McCorquodale

Taking the Leap Into My DNA: Part I

Your Thanksgiving preferences have a lot to do with your own family traditions, but genetics may also play a role. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Turkey.001-e1575006841874-225x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-27745 size-medium" width="225" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Turkey.001-e1575006841874-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Turkey.001-e1575006841874-660x880.jpg 660w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Turkey.001-e1575006841874.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" />
This Thanksgiving, along with taking the time to give thanks for our friends, family and all that we have, 23andMe is celebrating what our DNA can tell us about ourselves
<h6>Thanksgiving Preferences</h6>
Customers can even peruse <a href="https://you.23andme.com/health/thanksgiving2019_bundle/"> “A Very 23andMe Thanksgiving”</a> page to learn a little bit about what genetics says about their own specific traits during this holiday season. There, they can learn about their Bitter Taste preference or Alcohol Flush response. 
They can even find out about whether they are genetically predisposed to hate the sounds of others chewing. (Yeah, it’s a thing, and it’s called<a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/misophonia/"> misophonia</a>.) 
And to add a dash more of insight we’ve also done a quick look at genetic food preference data from our customers who have consented to participate in research. What we found is kind of interesting. So before you tuck into your Thanksgiving meal, take a minute to look at some of what we’ve learned.
<h6> Different Preferences between Men and Women </h6>
Looking at the data we found that men and women were likely to have some distinct food preferences based on their genetics. And about a quarter of our women customers were predicted to prefer sweet treats to salty ones. 
It was much different for men with just over two percent of our male customers likely to reach for sweets over salty treats.  
We also found a distinct difference in predicted food preferences based on the ages of our customers, or at least when we looked at customers in their 20s versus customers in their 60s. What we learned is that about 20 percent of customers in their 60s were likely to prefer sweets, versus just under 10 percent of people in their 20s.
<h6>So what does all this mean? </h6>
Traits, like a lot of conditions, are not just determined by our genes. It is actually a complex mix of culture, lifestyle, environment, and genetics that influence what we like to eat and what we turn our noses up to. 
So when 23andMe reports on your Bitter Taste preference, we are reporting on the likelihood that you can detect certain bitter compounds, and thus whether you are more or less likely to think Brussels sprouts or broccoli are bitter. The science behind that has to do with a gene, TAS2R38, which affects your taste receptors. But that doesn’t mean you will necessarily like them.
If you want to learn a little bit more about what your own genetics can tell you about your food preferences, login and check out<a href="https://you.23andme.com/health/thanksgiving2019_bundle/"> “A Very 23andMe Thanksgiving.”</a>
<h6>Not yet a customer? </h6>
Find out more about all that 23andMe has to offer<a href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/?vip=true"> here</a>, and don’t miss our great Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal happening now through December 2, for up to 50% off a 23andMe kit. 
 
&nbsp;

A Very 23andMe Thanksgiving

If you don’t know much about history, or more specifically your family health history, you should take some time to learn it because it is so important for managing your health.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Family-Tree1-300x200.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-22113 size-medium" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Family-Tree1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Family-Tree1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Family-Tree1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Family-Tree1-880x587.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Family-Tree1-1180x787.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Family health history is often the cornerstone of every medical record. It adds another dimension to your health profile, and it gives your doctor —and you —&nbsp; information to use to assist in your wellbeing.
<h6>What You Don&#8217;t Know 
</h6>
But many people often don’t know much beyond their own parents’ health, and some of us, particularly those who were adopted, might not even have that information. We might not know what our uncles or aunts or grandparents died from. 
We may have no idea of the health conditions that they lived with. But knowing this information offers important insights into our own health. 
That’s because just as genetic information from your 23andMe results can alert you to a previously unknown health risk, your family history, can also tell you a bit more about conditions you may have inherited from the generations that came before you. 
<h6>Looking Back to See Future Risks 
</h6>
Serious health conditions are sometimes run through families, sometimes skipping a generation or two. It helps to document some of the conditions that the relatives in our family tree faced to better understand our own health risks
While most people know that this information can be critical to their health, many people either do not know or have never tried to document this information. More than a decade ago, the U.S. Surgeon General kicked off an effort to change that by instituting<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/genomics/famhistory/index.htm"> National Family History Day</a>.
“Family history can identify people at high risk for many common diseases,” <a href="https://blogs-origin.cdc.gov/genomics/2018/11/19/happy-thanksgiving-2018/">said Muin J Khoury,</a>&nbsp; the Director, Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease, in a blog post last year. “In many cases, having at least one first-degree relative (parent, sibling or child) for some diseases doubles the person’s risk for the same disease. The risk is even higher if there are several affected relatives in the family, and affected relatives develop the disease at an early age.”
<h6>The Holiday</h6>
Because Thanksgiving is such a family-centric holiday, each year since 2004, the national holiday has doubled as a day not just to eat turkey and pie, but to talk to family and attempt to document health history.
To make it easier for families, the surgeon general even set up a simple and shareable tool for families to document their own health history called<a href="https://phgkb.cdc.gov/FHH/html/index.html"> My Family Health Portrait</a>. It allows you and your family members to create a family tree, write down health conditions and together create a powerful document to help you manage your health.&nbsp;
Knowing and acting on your family health history can prove life-saving in your own health.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Learn Your Family Health History

By Eloycsia Ratliff, MPH, 23andMe Medical Education Project Manager
Editor&#8217;s note: This is the third in an occasional series about 23andMe&#8217;s Medical Education program.
This month, the American Academy of Family Physicians host their annual <a href="https://www.aafp.org/events/fmx.html">Family Medicine Experience</a> (FMX) in Philadelphia, their largest meeting meant to inspire medical professionals focused on family medicine and primary care. Over 5,000 medical professionals, including family physicians and healthcare companies (including health technology), will be in attendance&#8211;and so will 23andMe. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Doctor-236x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-27331" width="236" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Doctor-236x300.jpg 236w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Doctor-768x975.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Doctor-693x880.jpg 693w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Doctor.jpg 788w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 236px) 100vw, 236px" />
&nbsp;
The&nbsp;emergence of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing and questions from healthcare professionals such as family doctors surrounding this topic, have made it important for companies like 23andMe to have a presence to help providers understand more about what 23andMe offers consumers.
<h6>Improving Patient Care</h6>
One of the themes of the conference this year is to inspire family doctors to “remember why they fell in love with family medicine” in the first place. Many of the presentations, showcases and events during the four-day conference focus on identifying new patient care solutions, which can provide family medicine doctors with innovative ways to approach, and ultimately improve patient care.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
23andMe believes knowledge about genetics — both among consumers and healthcare professionals — has the potential to improve health outcomes. At this year’s FMX, 23andMe’s Medical team plans to highlight how our service works and how family doctors can help their patients use genetic information to make more informed decisions about their health.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h6>Where and When</h6>
On Thursday, September 26th at 9:30am, 23andMe’s Medical Education Lead, Anne Greb, MS, CGC, will host an interactive Learning Lab entitled “Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing in Your Practice.” The session will cover need-to-know information about DTC genetic testing including an overview of the consumer experience, the type of information consumers receive in their 23andMe health reports, consumer motivations for DTC genetic testing, and next steps for both consumers and healthcare providers based on the report outcomes.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Learning Lab sessions provide an opportunity for companies like 23andMe to highlight important clinical topics as they relate to their products and services. These 30-minute educational sessions are open to all conference attendees and are a great way to stay in-the-know about new advances in health technology.
&nbsp;
In addition to the Learning Lab session, 23andMe will host a booth in the exhibit hall (booth #401). We will be there to answer questions and provide resources such as the ability for family doctors to explore different customer demo accounts so they can better understand their patients’ experiences with 23andMe.
<h6>Learn More</h6>
For 23andMe, attending the FMX is one way we can inform HCPs about our services so they are more knowledgeable when their patients, our customers, are discovering their genetic information through 23andMe&#8217;s <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/">Health + Ancestry Service</a>.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
If you are a healthcare professional and interested in learning more about 23andMe&#8217;s health reports and educational resources, we invite you to <a href="https://medical.23andme.com/join/">join our HCP community</a>. You will receive regular updates on new report launches and information about upcoming educational programs and other engagement opportunities.&nbsp;
Want to find out more? Check out the other two posts about the program:
• <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/education/common-misconceptions-healthcare-professionals-have-about-23andme/">Common Misconceptions Healthcare Professionals Have about 23andMe</a>
• <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/medical-education-at-23andme/">Medical Education at 23andMe</a>
&nbsp;

Eloycsia Ratliff

23andMe At Healthcare Professionals Conference

&nbsp;
By Eloycsia Ratliff, MPH, 23andMe Medical Education Project Manager
&nbsp;
Editor’s note: This is the first post in an occasional series explaining our Medical Education program.&nbsp;
It is no secret that the evolving field of genomic medicine is changing at a rate that is surpassing healthcare professionals’ (HCPs) ability to keep up. Along with that, the growing popularity of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing, means that more and more conversations between patients and their healthcare provider revolve around genetics. These twin forces are creating a need for more medical education.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Doctor-236x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-27331 size-medium" width="236" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Doctor-236x300.jpg 236w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Doctor-768x975.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Doctor-693x880.jpg 693w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Doctor.jpg 788w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 236px) 100vw, 236px" />
At 23andMe, we believe knowledge about genetics — both among consumers and HCPs — has the potential to improve health outcomes. Our Medical Education program supports HCPs who want to incorporate DTC genetic testing into patient care. By learning more about our service, HCPs will be more prepared to have meaningful conversations with their patients who want to discuss 23andMe reports.
&nbsp;
This offers an opportunity to prepare for the wave of consumer interest in genetic testing for health information. It is estimated that over <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/s/612880/more-than-26-million-people-have-taken-an-at-home-ancestry-test/">26 million people </a>have taken a DTC genetic test. A desire to learn more about their health is one of the leading motivations for genetic testing. Studies show about 30 percent of individuals who have tested share their information with their healthcare providers.

<h6>What does Medical Education Look Like at 23andMe?</h6>
23andMe has a Healthcare Professionals website, <a href="https://medical.23andme.com/">medical.23andme.com</a>, with educational resources for HCPs so they can understand the consumer experience. Among those resources are samples of all of our 125+ reports, <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Med-Ed-300x294.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-27325" width="300" height="294" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Med-Ed-300x294.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Med-Ed.jpg 761w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />including our Health Predisposition, Carrier Status, Wellness, <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-ancestry/">Traits and Ancestry</a> report categories*. In addition, multiple sample reports representing various outcomes for many of our health reports are provided. The site also has information on the scientific process behind our FDA-authorized Genetic Health Risk and Carrier Status reports.*&nbsp;
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Other resources on our website include on-demand <a href="https://medical.23andme.com/resources/#webinars">webinars</a>, educational blogs, and information about continuing medical education (CME) credit opportunities. There is an events calendar where HCPs can find information on upcoming medical conferences we are attending and educational programs we are sponsoring. Through our education initiatives, we hope as patients come in to discuss results from their 23andMe health report, HCPs will either be prepared to immediately address their concerns or know exactly where to find informative physician-friendly resources — adding more value both to the reports and the overall visit.&nbsp;
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<h6>Who Are We?</h6>
<div id="attachment_27327" style="width: 260px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-27327" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/23andMe-24-Version-2-250x250.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27327 size-full" width="250" height="250" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/23andMe-24-Version-2-250x250.jpg 250w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/23andMe-24-Version-2-250x250-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" />Anne Greb, MS, CGC</div>
23andMe’s Medical Education program is led by Anne Greb, MS, CGC, a board-certified genetic counselor with over 25 years of experience in genetic counseling program leadership, medical education and administration. Anne is responsible for leading and developing educational initiatives that equip healthcare professionals to better integrate personalized genetic information into the everyday care of their patients.&nbsp;
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Medical Education project manager, Eloycsia Ratliff, MPH, is a healthcare professional with over eight years of experience working in health education, epidemiology and research, and project management at both the local and state levels. Eloycsia serves as a health education expert and lead on managing projects that elevate 23andMe in the clinical environment.
<div id="attachment_27328" style="width: 260px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-27328" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/23andMe-8-Version-2-250x250.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27328 size-full" width="250" height="250" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/23andMe-8-Version-2-250x250.jpg 250w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/23andMe-8-Version-2-250x250-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" />Eloycsia Ratliff, MPH</div>
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The <a href="https://medical.23andme.com/medical-team/">Medical Education team</a> is part of a larger Medical team at 23andMe including, Medical Affairs, Medical Outreach, and Advocacy.&nbsp;
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<h6>23andMe Healthcare Community</h6>
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If you are a healthcare professional and interested in learning more about 23andMe’s Medical Education Program, join our healthcare community. We have a community of over 20,000 healthcare professionals ranging from genetic counselors; physicians of all specialties;&nbsp; scientists; to researchers and educators. Our community has access to timely and targeted educational resources linked to specific reports, which has been useful in helping HCPs understand and interpret our reports. In addition, our healthcare community receives regular updates on the latest 23andMe features and information about upcoming educational programs and engagement opportunities. We want our HCP community to be at the forefront of information so they are better prepared for their patients’ questions.&nbsp;
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23andMe recognizes that enhanced awareness and knowledge of genetics is beyond our service and more about the long-term value this information can have on patients’ lives.
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For more information on how to join, visit our Healthcare Professionals’ website <a href="https://medical.23andme.com/">https://medical.23andme.com/</a>.
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Stay tuned for our next blog post in August, where we will discuss common misconceptions HCPs have about 23andMe. Also, check out 23andMe’s new MUTYH-Associated Polyposis Genetic Health Risk report* released in June. You can find sample reports and on-demand report walk-throughs on our website.
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*The 23andMe PGS test includes health predisposition and carrier status reports. Health predisposition reports include both reports that meet US FDA requirements for genetic health risks and the 23andMe Type 2 Diabetes health predisposition report which is based on 23andMe research and has not been reviewed by the FDA. The test uses qualitative genotyping to detect select clinically relevant variants in the genomic DNA of adults from saliva for the purpose of reporting and interpreting genetic health risks and reporting carrier status. It is not intended to diagnose any disease. Your ethnicity may affect the relevance of each report and how your genetic health risk results are interpreted. Each genetic health risk report describes if a person has variants associated with a higher risk of developing a disease, but does not describe a person’s overall risk of developing the disease. The test is not intended to tell you anything about your current state of health, or to be used to make medical decisions, including whether or not you should take a medication, how much of a medication you should take, or determine any treatment. Our carrier status reports can be used to determine carrier status, but cannot determine if you have two copies of any genetic variant. These carrier reports are not intended to tell you anything about your risk for&nbsp; developing a disease in the future, the health of your fetus, or your newborn child&#8217;s risk of developing a particular disease later in life. For certain conditions, we provide a single report that includes information on both carrier status and genetic health risk. Warnings &amp; Limitations: The MUTYH-Associated Polyposis Genetic Health Risk Report is indicated for reporting the Y179C and G396D variants in the MUTYH gene and an increased risk for colorectal cancer.&nbsp; The two variants included in this report are most common in people of Northern European descent. This report does not include variants in other genes linked to hereditary cancers and the absence of variants included in this report do not rule out the presence of other genetic variants that may impact cancer risk. The PGS test is not a substitute for visits to a healthcare professional for recommended screenings or appropriate follow-up. Results should be confirmed in a clinical setting before taking any medical action.&nbsp; For important information and limitations regarding other genetic health risk reports and carrier status reports, visit <a href="https://www.23andme.com/test-info/">https://www.23andme.com/test-info</a>.&nbsp;
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Medical Education at 23andMe

23andMe has added a new Genetic Health Risk report* that looks at two genetic variants in the MUTYH gene (Y179C and G396D) associated with a hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome, MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP). These two variants are most common and best studied in people of Northern European descent. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-27213 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/WS-Blog.png" alt="" width="1200" height="628" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/WS-Blog.png 1200w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/WS-Blog-300x157.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/WS-Blog-768x402.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/WS-Blog-1024x536.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/WS-Blog-880x461.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/WS-Blog-1180x618.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" />
<h2>Genetics, Environment, and Lifestyle</h2>
In January, 23andMe<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/fda-colorectal-cancer/"> received FDA clearance</a> to offer this information directly to consumers, and our team has been finalizing the report since then.
There are many factors — diet, exercise, alcohol consumption, and smoking, for example — that can influence a person’s risk for colorectal cancer. In fact, most cases are not caused by inherited genetic variants.
However, individuals with two genetic variants or two copies of a genetic variant included in this new report tend to develop colon and rectal polyps, have an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer, and may have a slightly increased risk for certain other cancers. 
These two variants account for the majority — from 80 percent to 90 percent — of all MAP variants in people of Northern European descent. Between 1 and 2 percent of people of Northern European descent have one of these variants, which means that between 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 40,000 people of Northern European descent are expected to have MAP.
It’s important to note that more than 100 other variants in the MUTYH gene have been linked to MAP and this report only includes two of those variants. While this report is most relevant for people of Northern European ancestry, the two variants are also found in people of other ethnicities.
<h2>MAP</h2>
“People with MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP) are at a much higher risk of developing colon and rectal cancers, and it often affects them when they are at younger ages,” said Anjee Davis, President, Fight Colorectal Cancer, a leading colorectal cancer patient advocacy group in the U.S. “However, for people who know that they have MAP, early detection and subsequent screening can be potentially lifesaving. The new 23andMe report is limited in that it only identifies people with MAP — and not other hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes, like Lynch syndrome — but it can be a positive first step for prevention for those who have the two associated variants. Additionally, because only a small percentage of colorectal cancer cases are attributed to a hereditary predisposition, all people need to know the symptoms and be screened at the recommended age.&#8221;
Without appropriate surveillance, carrying both of these variants or having two copies of one increases the risk of developing colorectal cancer to between 43 and 100 percent. The risk in the general population is about 4.2 percent.
<h2> Health + Ancestry Service Customers</h2>
Eligible <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/">23andMe Health + Ancestry Service</a> customers can view their MAP report. As with other Genetic Health Risk reports considered sensitive, eligible customers must first opt-in to view the report. If they choose to opt in, they will go through a short tutorial detailing vital information to know before seeing their results.
23andMe is committed to ensuring that our customers understand what it may mean to carry a risk variant or variants and what it means not to have one of the variants covered in this report. Specifically, not having one of the variants — or a negative result — does not mean one is not at risk for developing colorectal cancer. Instead, the report highlights the fact that genetics is just one of many risk factors for colorectal cancer.
<h2>Family History</h2>
More than a hundred genetic variants in the MUTYH gene are linked to MAP, and thousands of variants in other genes are linked to other hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes.
People with two variants or two copies of a variant included in the MAP report have a higher risk for colorectal cancer and the risk for people with one variant is still uncertain. Some studies suggest that people with one variant may have a slightly increased risk, particularly if they have a family history of colorectal cancer. Still, the evidence is limited at this point.
If a person has a positive family history of colorectal cancer or a personal history of colorectal polyps, they should consider talking to a doctor for more screening information. Finally, the MAP report is not diagnostic and is intended for adults only. It is not a substitute for visits to a healthcare professional for recommended screenings or appropriate follow-up. Any result should be confirmed in a clinical setting before taking any medical action.
<h2>Learn More</h2>
Eligible customers can go to their <a href="https://you.23andme.com/health/">Health Overview</a> page to view their report. On that page, they will be directed to update their report preferences and choose whether to opt in to receive the report. Not yet a 23andMe customer? Find out more <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/">here</a>.
*For important information and limitations regarding each of our genetic health risk reports as well as our other health reports, visit<a href="http://23andme.com/test-info"> 23andme.com/test-info</a>.

Health + Traits — Page 17