DNA test kits to be sold at Walgreen's

[chloe]

This Friday, Walgreen's will begin selling over-the-counter, do-it-yourself DNA testing. The kits claim to be able tell you if you're at risk for serious diseases, such as breast cancer and Alzheimer's. However, critics worry they will cause confusion and misinformation.


The Insight genetic testing kits sold at Walgreen's for around $30 was already available on the Internet, but the kits had not reached a mass audience until now.

Coming soon to your neighborhood Walgreen's, amid the tooth-paste and deodorant, will be kits that test your DNA for everything from Alzheimer's to breast cancer.

The kits, made by San Diego-based Pathway Genomics mark the debut of DNA testing at corner drugstores.

For $249, your DNA is checked for 23 genetic conditions including diabetes, along with risk for Alzheimer's, heart attack, lung cancer, and Multiple Sclerosis.

"And with that information, you can make better lifestyle choices," says Jim Woodman from Pathway Genomics.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/health&id=7436830

[LiberalNation]

lets give the hypochondriacts another thing to worry about and blow money on.

[chloe]

lets give the hypochondriacts another thing to worry about and blow money on.

:laugh2:, Yeah it would open up a whole new arena for Hypochonriacts. I think it would be depressing. I wouldn't mind the Paternity one, I would like to have someone swab my real dads mouth so I can use it for Genealogy DNA. But knowing all my disease fate no thanks.

[Binky]

I'm wondering whether or not an individual could test to see if he or she is related to someone else..... You know, in case someone dies and there are not only blood related kids left behind, but others that claim to be blood.....

[Mr. P]

I'm wondering whether or not an individual could test to see if he or she is related to someone else..... You know, in case someone dies and there are not only blood related kids left behind, but others that claim to be blood.....

yes. but I doubt the OTC test would do that..but then I donno.

[revelarts]

huh... You mean we can't trust women when they say "it is your baby."?

But yeah I don't realyy see the benifits of this except for the company. Someone will probably end up using it to deny someone something then the lawyers will start getting their cuts of the dough.

sigh

[cat slave]

Well, as for my self, I dont want to know if Im gonna be a good
candidate for Alzheimer's (until they can do something about
it), cancer or much of anything it is good for....not many people are real good at changing lifestyles and there is
enough information already available for us to make informed
choices.....why worry about something else! And Im not
real comfortable with anything else about me available to
who knows who in some data base.

[chloe]

I'm wondering whether or not an individual could test to see if he or she is related to someone else..... You know, in case someone dies and there are not only blood related kids left behind, but others that claim to be blood.....


Yeah I wonder that too, I wish I could swab my real dads mouth in case my half brother is looking for me.

[Binky]

huh... You mean we can't trust women when they say "it is your baby."?

But yeah I don't realyy see the benifits of this except for the company. Someone will probably end up using it to deny someone something then the lawyers will start getting their cuts of the dough.

sigh

Well, say you have two children with your wife. And at some point, along the way, you strayed, had a relationship with someone else as well, and two babies supposedly came out of that relationship, making them half sibs of yours and your wifes. And then you die......leaving a nice estate. And then those halvsies want to cash in.....So now there's this test that can supposedly be taken. You'd just have to get those sibs to take the test and then test yourself...... You'd prob'ly have to go to court to make them take the test.....

Anyway, I don't see why it wouldn't work. Altho' I don't know as to how acurate it would be......But it would be cheaper than having a lawyer handle it......

[Binky]

Well, as for my self, I dont want to know if Im gonna be a good
candidate for Alzheimer's (until they can do something about
it), cancer or much of anything it is good for....not many people are real good at changing lifestyles and there is
enough information already available for us to make informed
choices.....why worry about something else! And Im not
real comfortable with anything else about me available to
who knows who in some data base.


Well, my mom suffered with alzheimers for seven years before passing away. And my dad was healthy as a horse until the last two months of his life when he acquired a very aggressive brain tumor. Once that was disovered they went in and cut it out and when the air hit it, it grew very rapidly and covered his entire brain.....He died about six weeks later.

I figure I'll go either of those ways. I don't really want to know how I go....I hope it's rather quick like dads was. I sure as heck don't want to go thru alzheimers...What a long dehilitating desease that eats your mind while your body whithers away.......

[Mr. P]

Well, say you have two children with your wife. And at some point, along the way, you strayed, had a relationship with someone else as well, and two babies supposedly came out of that relationship, making them half sibs of yours and your wifes. And then you die......leaving a nice estate. And then those halvsies want to cash in.....So now there's this test that can supposedly be taken. You'd just have to get those sibs to take the test and then test yourself...... You'd prob'ly have to go to court to make them take the test.....

Anyway, I don't see why it wouldn't work. Altho' I don't know as to how acurate it would be......But it would be cheaper than having a lawyer handle it......

As far as I know the will trumps all. So if those halvsies want to cash in but aren't in the will, and that depends on how it's written, they don't have a snowballs chance unless they are the only living descendants and then they would need a lawyer and a reputable DNA testing facility. I doubt the court would rely on any OTC test.

[cat slave]

Well, my mom suffered with alzheimers for seven years before passing away. And my dad was healthy as a horse until the last two months of his life when he acquired a very aggressive brain tumor. Once that was disovered they went in and cut it out and when the air hit it, it grew very rapidly and covered his entire brain.....He died about six weeks later.

I figure I'll go either of those ways. I don't really want to know how I go....I hope it's rather quick like dads was. I sure as heck don't want to go thru alzheimers...What a long dehilitating desease that eats your mind while your body whithers away.......

Well, we all want "quick". Thats awful about your dad to have been healthy
and then have that happen.

I think we all worry about Alzheimers but why worry when there is nothing
to do?

[cat slave]

I have good genes. My dad intended to live to 100 and would have made it
I think if not for his addiction to nicotine which wrecked his lungs. Even with
all that he was 83.

My mother is 84 and mean as a snake and has only high BP and fell and broke
her hip last year but is perking away. Guess a streak of meanness keeps her
going!:lol:

[Abbey Marie]

I heard the other day that Walgreen's was being pressured to not sell these and they have decided not to for now. Sorry, no link.

[Mr. P]

I heard the other day that Walgreen's was being pressured to not sell these and they have decided not to for now. Sorry, no link.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/05/12/genetic.testing.walgreens/

[revelarts]

Well, say you have two children with your wife. And at some point, along the way, you strayed, had a relationship with someone else as well, and two babies supposedly came out of that relationship, making them half sibs of yours and your wifes. And then you die......leaving a nice estate. And then those halvsies want to cash in.....So now there's this test that can supposedly be taken. You'd just have to get those sibs to take the test and then test yourself...... You'd prob'ly have to go to court to make them take the test.....

Anyway, I don't see why it wouldn't work. Altho' I don't know as to how acurate it would be......But it would be cheaper than having a lawyer handle it......

I think MrP 's right the Will is suppose to be the final word and a walgreens dna test wouldn't be enoughtgh to break it . but it could get the ball rolling to bring other grounds to contest the will.

But your scenario brings up another problem

What if the kids don't know they have the same Dad, and they meet by chance and want to to get married.

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eI44HihhZok&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eI44HihhZok&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>