Do you plan to join the 23andMe MPN DNA research initiative?

12 Comments

  • Viggo Knackstredt - 13 years ago

    Can I participate as an Australian?

  • david addis - 13 years ago

    This offer is an incredable deal. The amount of information individuals will get about themselves and as a member of a group is wonderfull. I don't see why anyone would turn it down.

  • Gillian Collins - 13 years ago

    Living in the UK I am probably not eligible but I would not participate in this. Coming up to 73 I feel there is little they can do now but would encourage those younger to take advantage of the offer. I live my life from day to day - have many infections but with the aid of antibiotics overcome them. I have a cleaner who gives me more time for my children and grandchildren and we try to have two or three holidays a year. I find that the seaside is the most beneficial for my health, perhaps they ought to build hospitals on sea fronts! Carry on with the good work Zhen and may you live to a great age.

  • Elizabeth Bassett - 13 years ago

    Like Bente, I don't know if this applies to us here in Europe (UK for me). But if I knew I had a susceptibility towards a life threatening or even just a general health condition, a forewarning would give me the opportunity to fight it if I was inclined; I guess those not inclined wouldn't bother to find out. Although there would be insurance implications, but it might mean the longevity adjustment to pensions would work in one's favour. As for privacy, that is a difficult we probably are aware of the main advantages and disadvantages; perhaps therefore an individual choice.

  • Sheridan - 13 years ago

    I tend to agree w/Hilda - if it's going to "help the cause" - why not. Personally, living w/the unknown of this disorder is a bit nerve-wracking, so why not have all the potential info possible, going forward - I don't think it could be much more frightening than the unknown I already live with! And, we've engaged Gentiva on my behalf, so all my info is already pretty much OUT THERE! SO, while I am stating "don't know" - I probably will, once I've read further information and discussed w/my family....

  • Bente Evadatter - 13 years ago

    Can I do that from Norway?

  • Barbara Kurtz - 13 years ago

    I'm glad to see a number of people are willing to do this, but I side with Mary. When I see no reason for someone to have the information, I make up my phone number, birth date and especially my mother's maiden name. I've seen people fired for accessing medical info they weren't entitled to just because they could.

  • Larry Puckett Sr - 13 years ago

    Hilda above said it as good as I could. If it may help those in the future, then I'm all for it. I order to kit.

  • Hilda - 13 years ago

    The cumulative data collected and analyzed from participants may be helpful to others in the future so let's get together, get moving and check out this study/research.

    As to privacy, of course I intend to read the materials carefully once my kit arrives. However, there is already so much information out there in the public and commercial domains that it would curl your toes. Perhaps this bit of additional data won't make much of a difference to each of us......not that the intent of the researchers is to do anything like sell or otherwise distribute information about us.

    Further, for those of us of a certain age, what difference does it make? Likely none of us would qualify for either life insurance or long-term care, for instance, based on our self reporting on an agent's application. So, why worry about this aspect of information being gathered.

    As to knowing predictions or probabilities, well, they are just that and nothing more. Many of us already know that certain familial conditions predispose us to certain illnesses yet life goes on. I think that is how I would interpret any results from this study.

    Please encourage others to order their kits and to check it out.
    Less fear, more action. ...... that's how I plan to review the materials.

    All the best to ya'll.

  • Michel Durand - 13 years ago

    Asked for a kit.

  • Another Mary - 13 years ago

    I have ordered the kit. Yes DNA is very personal information but as I understand it the results I receive will all be based upon probabilities and statistics. There is no certainty that any of the dreadful illness the test predicts will actually happen to me. The testing has as much predictive value to an individual as reading my daily horoscope has to my finances, career and love life.
    The future cannot be predicted.

  • Mary - 13 years ago

    For me, I would feel uncomfortable with having that information about me out there. I mean to me DNA is just about as much info as you can have on a person than add, social security numbers, drivers license numbers and any other info and you really start putting yourself out there. Maybe I can be paranoid some but I just don't want anyone knowing that much about me. I think of the movie Soylent Green among others. :)

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