Inexpensive DNA Test Can Help You...........

Inexpensive DNA test can help you get personalized medicine, find your roots.

Genetic test maker 23andMe is asking the Food and Drug Administration to approve its $299 personalized DNA test. It's a move that, if successful, could boost acceptance of the technology.

The company is part of a new industry that will allow consumers to check their genetic codes for details about their ancestry and future health. Critics, however, say it's not enough to provide medical information without telling people how to handle it.

"It's the next step for us to work with the FDA and actually say, this is clinically relevant information, and consumers should work with their physicians on what to do with it,' " said CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki, married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin. They have invested millions in the privately held company, which is based in Mountain View, Calif. The test, however, is available now, according to Time.

Some things DNA testing can do:

Predict illness: Disclose increased risk for more than 100 conditions, such as heart disease.

Spot carrier traits: Discover whether you carry genes for inherited diseases such as Tay-Sachs, as well as recessive genes that predict eye color.

Personalize medical treatments: Help your doctor estimate the effectiveness of various medicines so proper doses can be prescribed.

Detect your origins: Find unknown relatives who share your genetic code, and tell your geographic origins.

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