23andMe’s research that has identified genetic variants associated with the loss of smell or taste due to COVID-19 was published today in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-021-00986-w">Nature Genetics</a>. 
As part of 23andMe’s ongoing research on COVID-19, the findings were<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/scientists-find-genetic-link-to-loss-of-smell-among-covid-19-patients/"> first reported</a> in June of last year. The paper offers more detail on the study, which identified variants near two olfactory genes — UGT2A1 and UGT2A2.
&#8220;We&#8217;re delighted to see this manuscript published,” said Adam Auton, 23andMe’s Vice President for Human Genetics. “It is another example of how data contributed by 23andMe customers can provide unique insights into COVID-19. It really wouldn&#8217;t be possible without our customers, and we&#8217;re extremely grateful to everyone that participated in this research.&#8221;
<h2>Common Symptoms</h2>
Loss of smell and or taste, also called anosmia, is a hallmark symptom of COVID-19. It is often the earliest indication of infection, and in some cases, the only symptom. An individual with one copy of the variant is about 11.5 percent more likely to lose their sense of smell or taste if infected compared to someone with zero copies.
For this work researchers* conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using data from more than 69,000 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research.  Along with identifying variants implicating the two olfactory genes, the study also noted that loss of taste and smell after COVID-19 was most common among women and younger research participants. It was less common among research participants of East Asian or African American ancestry.
<h2>Long Haulers</h2>
The research is part of ongoing work by 23andMe since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. Among the areas of study is research on<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/23andme-covid-study-published/"> the role blood type plays</a> in severity and susceptibility to the virus, and insights into the genetics that influence<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/reaction-to-covid-vaccine/"> different reactions</a> to COVID-19 vaccines. In addition, researchers are currently studying so-called long haulers, individuals with continued health effects weeks, months or longer after infection, to determine whether genetics plays a role.
For the loss of taste and smell study, the researchers found that about two-thirds of participants who tested positive for the virus reported loss of smell or taste. In addition, the researchers working on this study also ran separate GWAS for individuals of European, Latino, African American, East Asian, and South Asian ancestries, and then combined the data via a meta-analysis. The researchers found the risk variants for loss of taste or smell most common among people of European ancestry, and least common among those of East Asian ancestry.
Because the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 first enters the body and accumulates in olfactory support cells, the findings may offer researchers important insights into the biological pathway for infection. 
To read the full paper go to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-021-00986-w">Nature Genetics</a>.  You can learn more about 23andMe&#8217;s COVID-19 study <a href="https://you.23andme.com/covid19-study/">here</a>.
Many thanks to the over 1 million research participants who answered our questionnaire and made this research possible. 
<hr />
*The 23andMe COVID-19 research team includes: Adam Auton, Adrian Chubb, Alison Fitch, Alison Kung, Amanda Altman, Andy Kill, Anjali Shastri, Antony Symons, Catherine Weldon, Chelsea Ye, Daniella Coker, Janie Shelton, Jason Tan, Jeff Pollard, Jey McCreight, Jess Bielenberg, John Matthews, Johnny Lee, Lindsey Tran, Maya Lowe, Michelle Agee, Monica Royce, Nate Tang, Pooja Gandhi, Raffaello d’Amore, Ruth Tennen, Scott Dvorak, Scott Hadly, Stella Aslibekyan, Sungmin Park, Taylor Morrow, Teresa Filshtein Sonmez, Trung Le, and Yiwen Zheng.

A logo for 23andMe's COVID-19 Research Study

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

23andMe Study on Loss of Smell and Taste Due to COVID-19 Published

23andMe will host a virtual research and development day next week to discuss announcements that include taking our first wholly-owned drug into a <a href="https://investors.23andme.com/news-releases/news-release-details/23andme-initiates-phase-1-clinical-trial-first-wholly-owned">phase 1 clinical trial</a>, as well as a new <a href="https://investors.23andme.com/news-releases/news-release-details/23andme-receives-fda-clearance-direct-consumer-genetic-test">FDA authorization</a> to report on genetic health risks for hereditary prostate cancer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-drug-discovery">Drug Discovery</h2>



Speakers for the virtual event include CEO and Co-Founder Anne Wojcicki and Kenneth Hillian, Head of 23andMe Therapeutics. 



Along with them will be a presentation by Adam Auton, Vice President for Human Genetics, where he will explain in more detail how the Therapeutics team uses genetic and phenotypic data in the drug discovery process. Also on hand from the Therapeutics team will be Jennifer Low, Head of Therapeutics Development, and Joe Aaron, Chief Scientific Officer.  



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-consumer-product">Consumer Product</h2>



Beyond the presentations on drug discovery, the event will also include discussions on consumer product development, with comments from Paul Johnson, the Vice President and General Manager of the company&#8217;s consumer division. 



The event is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 am Pacific Time on Tuesday, January 18, 2022. The webcast event can be accessed on the day of the event at<a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=GXNpg_k0JQckfDpOgmeKh3sWgYZdCjpezwzXMm-ILINYJ7-uL4frfpttjMY3FYjFWTypoBIQJVqdRXNMqP7nFYCBchdZXRsJNtieuHuLljXHbdT94HM9nsh_9fYlYYdCY1gjJDLd4Dc7ufbJXKJoS0aTBrpGP295Cg6c-cZAgz3b8ALua2hEbfgq6LEmGCk1UAbO8Re_ITZefE9CqzgDXQ=="> https://investors.23andme.com/news-events/events-presentations</a>. A webcast replay will be available at the same address for a limited time within 24 hours after the event.



&nbsp;

23andMe Hosts Virtual R&D Day

23andMe’s latest update provides new ancestral connections to 25 African ethnolinguistic groups, including Ashanti ancestry, allowing people to explore connections with groups sharing common languages and cultures.



Along with the recent ancestor locations previously covered, this brings us to over 200 Ancestry Composition populations in Africa. This update is just one of many steps we’re taking to offer richer and more detailed information for customers with African ancestry. We are always looking to improve, and we hope to add even more granular ancestry results to our customers and better represent the depth of our genetic diversity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-will-customers-find-in-this-update-nbsp">What will customers find in this update?&nbsp;</h2>



With this update, some customers with African ancestry, including those with Ashanti ancestry, will discover new Ancestry Composition matches to one or more of 25 new genetic groups, often called reference populations, representing present-day ethnolinguistic groups in Sub-Saharan Africa. These new groups include the Igbo, Yoruba, Kongo, Mandinka, Shona, and Ashanti peoples. Customers will also find a map marking where the people in each reference population and their ancestors have lived for generations.



&nbsp;



Customers who receive a match share some of their ancestors with that population within the last 250 to 300 years. And because of the populations&#8217; roots in these areas for generations, those ancestors likely lived in the same location and shared their communities&#8217; cultures. And in fact, the customer may have relatives who still live there today! Since cultural identity is so much more than DNA, though, keep in mind that these results alone do not say that a customer belongs to an ethnic group today.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-29438 size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="301" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AEG-1.png" alt="A map of western Africa showing area within Nigeria where Edo and Ijaw people live." class="wp-image-29438" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AEG-1.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AEG-1-300x176.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Here is an Example Ancestry Composition result for a customer with 3.6% Nigerian ancestry, which matches the new population, &#8220;Edo and Ijaw peoples.&#8221;</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-are-the-new-groups-nbsp">Where are the new groups?&nbsp;</h2>



Some customers may now receive matches to genetic groups (reference populations) that reveal shared ancestors and connections with present-day ethnolinguistic groups, including Ashanti ancestry. The regions below depict where the people in 23andMe’s reference populations, such as the Ashanti people, and their ancestors have lived for generations.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-29437 size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="338" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AEG-2.png" alt="A map of Africa showing all the new Ethnolinguistic Groups covered in this update." class="wp-image-29437" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AEG-2.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AEG-2-300x198.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A map of the ancestral regions associated with each new genetic group is included in this update. For a full list of Sub-Saharan African populations represented, scroll down to the list at the bottom of the page.</figcaption></figure>



Matches to these regions represent ancestors who may have lived anywhere from now to approximately 250-300 years ago. These represent modern-day and historically recent ethnolinguistic groups and their ancestral regions. Previous events, such as migration, war, and earlier decades of the transatlantic and intra-African slave trade, may have led to major movements and mixing of people, so a customer’s African ancestors from 400+ years ago may have lived in different regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-did-we-develop-these-ancestry-insights-nbsp">How did we develop these ancestry insights?&nbsp;</h2>



Listening to our Black customers and broader communities, we heard clearly that people seek more specific connections beyond regions to people in Africa. These ties are often hard to discover, as few people of African descent in the Americas have genealogical records from before the Civil War (1861-1865), primarily due to the transatlantic and intercolonial slave trades.&nbsp;



Before now, 23andMe&#8217;s Ancestry Composition report revealed specific African countries and sub-country regions where evidence of a person&#8217;s recent ancestry is found. However, modern country connections, including these, often reflect how colonialism shaped borders within Africa and not how African people identified historically or prefer to identify today. We knew we needed to help people connect to their ancestry in additional ways to better reflect African people. So how did we do it?&nbsp;&nbsp;



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>For many years, 23andMe has partnered with our community of research participants and other researchers to study genetic, language, and cultural group data from people in Africa and people with families from Africa. These efforts, including the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/global-genetics/">Global Genetics Project</a> and <a href="https://research.23andme.com/populations-collaborations/">Populations Collaborations Program</a>, first improved Sub-Saharan African ancestry insights in 2018.</li>



<li>From 2019 to 2020, the 23andMe team worked with scholars of African history and African American studies to develop and publish one of the <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/transatlantic-slave-trade-paper/">most comprehensive investigations</a> of the transatlantic slave trade ever conducted. </li>



<li>From this research, we identified 25 unique genetic groups of reference individuals in Africa. </li>



<li>Using the information we previously collected on language, geographic location, and culture, we found that these genetic groups corresponded with particular ethnic groups and spoken languages.  </li>



<li>Finally, we developed an algorithm to determine if customers with African ancestry have shared ancestry with these groups. </li>
</ol>



Now, thanks to our collaborators and community of research participants, we can provide our customers with more meaningful information about their connections to people and places in Africa. With the addition of these new ethnolinguistic groups, we now offer insights to over 200 African regions. And as our database expands and analyses improve, we will continue providing new insights like this to better represent our genetic diversity.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-29436 size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="478" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AEG-3.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29436" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AEG-3.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AEG-3-300x280.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Here is some example information on the Nigerian detailed ancestry report page. Nigeria&#8217;s population is the largest in Africa and one of the most diverse, with over 250 ethnic groups. 23andMe&#8217;s new ethnic group reference populations are just a first step to helping people with African ancestry rediscover their connections to ancestors and modern-day relatives across the Atlantic.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-updated-list-of-populations-in-sub-saharan-africa">Updated List of Populations in Sub-Saharan Africa</h2>



African Hunter-Gatherer



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Mbuti people — NEW</li>



<li>Baka &amp; Biaka people — NEW</li>
</ul>



Congolese &amp; Southern East African



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Angolan &amp; Congolese 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Congo (the Democratic Republic of the)</li>



<li>Shona &amp; Nguni peoples — NEW</li>



<li>Luba &amp; Kete peoples — NEW</li>



<li>Kongo &amp; Mbundu peoples — NEW</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



Southern East African



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Kenya (2+ regions)</li>



<li>Rwanda (3+ regions) </li>



<li>Kikuyu &amp; Kamba peoples — NEW</li>



<li>Luhya &amp; Luo peoples — NEW</li>



<li>Maasai people — NEW</li>



<li>Rundi peoples — NEW</li>



<li>Hadza &amp; Sandawe — NEW</li>



<li>Broadly Congolese &amp; Southern East African</li>
</ul>



West African



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Ashanti Ancestry in Ghana, Liberia &amp; Sierra Leone 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Ghana (7+ regions)</li>



<li>Liberia (6+ regions)</li>



<li>Sierra Leone</li>



<li>Ashanti people — NEW</li>



<li>Ewe, Fon, Ga-Dangme, &amp; Fante peoples — NEW</li>



<li>Mende people — NEW</li>



<li>Temne &amp; Limba peoples — NEW</li>



<li>Peoples of Liberia  — NEW</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Senegambian &amp; Guinean 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Guinea (3+ regions)</li>



<li>Cape Verde (7+ regions)</li>



<li>Gambia</li>



<li>Senegal</li>



<li>Mandinka people — NEW</li>



<li>Fula &amp; Wolof peoples — NEW</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Nigerian 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Nigeria (18+ regions)</li>



<li>Edo &amp; Ijaw peoples  — NEW</li>



<li>Igbo people  — NEW</li>



<li>Yoruba people — NEW</li>



<li>Esan people  — NEW</li>



<li>Bamileke &amp; Kom peoples  — NEW</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Broadly West African 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Cameroon (3+ regions)</li>



<li>Mauritania</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



Northern East African



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Ethiopian &amp; Eritrean
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Ethiopia (6+ regions)</li>



<li>Eritrea (4+ regions)</li>



<li>Peoples of central and western Ethiopia — NEW </li>



<li>Tigrinya speakers — NEW </li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Somali (9+ regions)</li>



<li>Sudanese
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Sudan (7+ regions)</li>



<li>South Sudan</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Broadly Northern East African </li>



<li>Broadly Sub-Saharan African</li>



<li>‡Khomani San — NEW </li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-most-common-ethnolinguistic-group-connections-among-23andme-customers">Most common ethnolinguistic group connections among 23andMe customers</h2>



Of 23andMe customers who receive a match to a new group, the most common matches are with the Igbo and Kongo and Mbundu people. Both of these groups are matches for around 30 percent of customers. The next most common group is the Fula and Wolof people, who match around 13 percent of customers. 



These proportions likely reflect the impact of the transatlantic slave trade in which the majority of the 12.5 million enslaved Africans were taken from ethnolinguistic groups residing in the mid to southern Atlantic coast of Africa and forced into the Americas. Each of the remaining ethnolinguistic groups is a match for fewer than 5 percent of customers.



&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="446" height="512" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AEG-4.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29435" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AEG-4.png 446w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AEG-4-261x300.png 261w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 446px) 100vw, 446px" /></figure>

23andMe Expands Ancestry Composition with Ashanti Ancestry and Other African Ethnolinguistic Groups

For Jessica Diaz, a stroke at 36 didn&#8217;t just alter the course of her life; it&#8217;s driven her to help other women who might unknowingly be at risk for the same thing.
You&#8217;ve probably heard the maxim that &#8220;knowledge is power,&#8221; but what is the opposite of that?
It disturbed Jessica that so many people didn&#8217;t even know they might carry the risk that led to her brush with death. It bothered her that people didn&#8217;t realize that either a direct-to-consumer genetic test or blood test could easily detect it. Those tests offer people a chance to take steps to lower their risk. So, Jessica went on a mission to bring that knowledge to others.
&nbsp;

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/JessicaDiazAHA-683x1024.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-29425" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/JessicaDiazAHA-683x1024.jpeg 683w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/JessicaDiazAHA-200x300.jpeg 200w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/JessicaDiazAHA-768x1152.jpeg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/JessicaDiazAHA-587x880.jpeg 587w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/JessicaDiazAHA-787x1180.jpeg 787w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/JessicaDiazAHA-scaled.jpeg 1707w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure>
 
<h6></h6>
<h6>Factor V Leiden</h6>
It started with her health scare nine years ago. A massive headache, and partial paralysis along her left side, led her husband to take her to the emergency room. Lying on a hospital bed after several tests, she listened in disbelief as doctors told her the diagnosis.
She&#8217;d had a stroke.
That didn&#8217;t compute for the then 36-year-old mother of two young children. Jessica didn&#8217;t even know that people her age could have a stroke. Not only that, but she was the model of health, a Barre class instructor, and a yoga enthusiast, so it was hard to accept what she was hearing. 
Testing at the hospital revealed she had a genetic variant called Factor V Leiden, which put her at a higher risk for blood clots.
&#8220;I&#8217;d never even heard of it before,&#8221; she said.
<h6>Harmful Blood Clots</h6>
She&#8217;s not alone. Most people have never heard of it, but the condition is not uncommon. More than five percent of the population in the United States have Factor V Leiden and the variant is most common in people of Northern European ancestry. Having it increases the risk of forming harmful blood clots which can develop in the legs and are known as deep vein thromboses (DVTs). The clots can also travel to the lungs and become pulmonary embolisms. Other factors might also increase risk: breaking a hip or leg; being immobilized for a very long time while lying in a hospital bed or traveling on a very long flight; pregnancy; and taking birth control pills.
Again, Jessica knew none of this.
&#8220;How is it possible that women don&#8217;t know this?&#8221; she thought.
In her case, the doctors believed that her having Factor V Leiden in combination with a previously undiagnosed congenital heart defect — a small hole in her heart known as a patent foramen ovale — ultimately led to the stroke. The clot had formed in her heart and then traveled to her brain.
<h6>Recovery</h6>
Jessica was lucky to have only spent a week in the hospital. Her recovery was relatively fast. She didn&#8217;t end up with long-term brain damage or paralysis, as can happen with other stroke survivors. About six months after the stroke, she underwent 10-hour open-heart surgery to repair the hole in her heart. Now nine years on, she&#8217;s healthy and fit. She also knows how lucky she is. Lucky that she got to the hospital within the critical early hours of a stroke. Lucky that she was near a good hospital, where they&#8217;re renowned for their treatment of strokes. And lucky that her insurance covered the costs. 
The experience changed how she approached her health. She eats a little differently now, stays hydrated, and knows to avoid estrogen-containing oral contraception and hormone therapies.
<h6>Educating Herself and Others</h6>
But after the stroke, she also began to educate herself. The experience didn&#8217;t just change the trajectory of her life,  it motivated her to help change the fate of others. Genetics played a role in her risk, so she alerted her sister, who was pregnant at the time. Her sister tested, and she too had Factor V Leiden. Her sister was put on a blood thinner through the pregnancy to lower her risk for a clot or miscarriage.
And Jessica began to do even more. She couldn&#8217;t get the idea out of her head about how few women knew of this risk. She became an ambassador for the American Heart and Stroke Association. Then she began what turned into a multi-year effort to get legislation passed in Massachusetts to have better screening for women going on birth control. 
“I wanted to ensure that women have all the available information before choosing oral contraceptives,” she said.
She&#8217;s<a href="https://www.purewow.com/wellness/i-had-a-stroke-at-36"> written about her experience</a> and talks about it to other women.

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="563" height="617" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Tarin-Jessica.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29428" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Tarin-Jessica.jpg 563w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Tarin-Jessica-274x300.jpg 274w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 563px) 100vw, 563px" /></figure>
 
<h6></h6>
<h6>Meeting Tarin</h6>
This past April, at the beach on vacation with her family in the Caribbean, she began talking to a woman named Tarin Jackson. They learned they live just two miles from each other in Boston but had never met before. Tarin asked Jessica what she does.
&#8220;I shared that I was an ambassador for the American Heart Association and that I was working on a bill for the last six years to ask health care providers for better screening for Factor V Leiden,&#8221; Jessica said.
Tarin immediately asked, &#8220;What&#8217;s Factor V Leiden?&#8221;   
As Jessica began to explain it, Tarin blurted out.
“Wait,” she said, adding that she might have the variant. 
<h6>OMG</h6>
She grabbed her phone and then opened up her 23andMe Hereditary Thrombophilia Genetic Health Risk report. It reports on the Factor V Leiden variant and another variant in the F2 gene associated with a higher likelihood of developing harmful blood clots.*
&#8220;I opened the report and said, ‘&#8230; Oh My God,'&#8221; Tarin said recently.
She indeed had the variant. It was important information because Tarin had recently restarted taking oral contraception. After talking with Jessica, Tarin talked first to her primary care doctor and then gynecologists. 
Tarin did follow-up testing confirming she had Factor V Leiden. Her doctor recommended she stop taking her birth control pill. And then Tarin reached out to family, trying to find out if they had any history of blood clotting. It turns out her father had four blood clots following a surgical procedure after a bike accident. 
Seeing how this information could empower someone like Tarin to lower her risk and take charge of her health was thrilling for Jessica. She continues her work talking to other women like her, raising awareness, and advocating screening women before being prescribed oral contraception.
&#8220;I cannot express my gratitude and excitement to learn that people have access to finding out whether they have (the variant for) Factor V Leiden,&#8221; Jessica said. &#8220;It could be lifesaving.&#8221;
<hr />
*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 Hereditary Thrombophilia genetic health risk report is indicated for reporting of the Factor V Leiden variant in the F5 gene, and the Prothrombin G20210A variant in the F2 gene and describes if a person has variants associated with a higher risk of developing harmful blood clots. The variants included in this report are most common and best studied in people of European descent. These variants are also found in populations with European ancestry, like African Americans and Hispanics or Latinos.

A Stroke Survivor Wants to Raise Awareness for Other Women

What stories and breakthroughs shaped the year in science and genetics? 
That was the question we asked a group of 23andMe leaders who are experts in everything from human genetics to product science to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Their wide-ranging responses span disciplines. You’ll find biology breakthroughs, public health declarations, illuminating visualizations, AI technologies, and rigorous scientific debates. 
COVID-19 is well represented in their answers, too, including new gains in scientific literacy as we continue to add terms like “spike protein” and “T cells” to the lexicon. 
The result is a list that collectively embodies our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/about?bst=pff">core value</a> of scientific discovery and captures a year of progress. 
<h2>Virology, Variants, Vaccines: A New Era of Scientific Literacy </h2>
<a href="https://mediacenter.23andme.com/press-release/23andme-announces-the-appointment-of-joseph-r-arron-m-d-ph-d-as-chief-scientific-officer">Joe Arron</a>, Chief Scientific Officer

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="477" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/COVID-Image-1024x477.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29418" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/COVID-Image-1024x477.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/COVID-Image-300x140.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/COVID-Image-768x358.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/COVID-Image-880x410.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/COVID-Image-1180x550.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/COVID-Image.png 1394w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
“Any way you slice it, the biggest story of the year — genetic or otherwise — is the coronavirus pandemic. The global scale of COVID-19’s effects on health, politics, economics, and culture is staggering, but observing biology plays out in real-time has been equally staggering. 
I have been struck by the dramatic rise in scientific literacy across our society. This is partly because scientists, journalists, and politicians have worked to understand and explain rapidly changing developments in viral variants, vaccines, antiviral therapies, epidemiology, and public health guidelines. These explanations often use technical molecular terms that have become part of our everyday language. 
For example, soon after the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV2 was discovered and sequenced, you could find visualizations of a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/12/14/science/omicron-variant-science.html">molecular model of the spike protein</a> mutations in the media. As an immunologist, it’s gratifying to see both the public’s interest in such things as antibodies, T cells, and viruses, as well as the patience and enthusiasm with which my colleagues endeavor to explain these complex processes in accessible language. 
While we all hope that this pandemic will soon recede into memory, I also hope that our society will remain engaged in seeking a deeper understanding of science, medicine, and the power of genetic technology to benefit human health.” 

<h2>Racism is a Public Health Crisis for Black Americans</h2>
<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/melinda-king/">Melinda King</a>, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and People Business Partner

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“I read an article from 60 Minutes on CBS News recently that shared what most healthcare professionals already know: there is a healthcare disparity gap for minorities compared to their white peers. There are many reasons for this gap, many of which are rooted in the by-products of systemic racism. However, Dr. David Williams, a professor and chair at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, has spent his career researching and sharing information on what the CDC now recognizes: racism itself can be a killer.
Dr. Williams classifies the various levels of mistreatment using an <a href="https://scholar.harvard.edu/davidrwilliams/node/32397">Everyday Discrimination Scale</a>, which includes nine elements designed to assess an individual’s daily experience of discrimination. The scale tries to gauge well-being by asking questions like: 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">How often are individuals treated with less courtesy than others? </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">How often are individuals treated with less respect than others? </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">How often do they receive worse service in restaurants or stores? </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">And how often do people act as if they’re afraid of them?</li>
</ul>
Individuals with a high score tend to also have adverse health outcomes. A high score is associated with high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and poor mental health.
Dr. Williams’s research also demonstrates that the health of Black Americans suffers whether they are rich or poor, well-educated or not. For example, Black women with college degrees are more likely to see their babies die as infants than white women who didn&#8217;t finish high school. Even when they are treated in the same healthcare settings, Black Americans receive worse care. 
While there is nothing new for me from this article, this has been my ancestors&#8217; journey. And I appreciate the research that supports what we know — racism is a killer. To improve the health and well-being of minorities, we have to spend an equal amount of energy on eliminating racism. 
As a company that leads with science and is focused on improving the health outcomes for everyone, this provides us with another angle to help close the healthcare gap. As we work to conduct research and develop therapeutic solutions, we should also focus equal time and resources to eradicating racism.” 

<h2>Predicting Protein Structures with Atomic Accuracy</h2>
<a href="https://investors.23andme.com/corporate-governance/leadership">Adam Auton</a>, Vice President, Human Genetics

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="400" height="266" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/dnaoragami.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-5013" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/dnaoragami.jpg 400w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/dnaoragami-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></figure>
 
“The<a href="https://deepmind.com/blog/article/alphafold-a-solution-to-a-50-year-old-grand-challenge-in-biology"> AlphaFold publication</a> is likely the most impactful research of the year regarding our ability to accurately predict protein structure. 
Understanding protein structure is critical for understanding biological function; knowing how a protein folds allows us to understand its shape and the protein&#8217;s function following that shape. 
However, predicting protein structure from the DNA sequence has been challenging for decades. As a result, only a relatively small number of proteins have had their structures &#8220;solved&#8221; by experimental means. 
This year, the DeepMind team released their AlphaFold technology, which used Machine Learning techniques to make tremendous strides in improving protein structure predictions. This technology has now been used to make structure predictions for every protein in the human genome and really opens a door for understanding biology in a way that wasn&#8217;t possible before.

<h2>The Past – and Future – of mRNA</h2>
<a href="https://www.lemonaidhealth.com/meet-our-lemons">Paul Johnson</a>, CEO, Lemonaid, and Vice President, General Manager Consumer
“The Fast Company article, <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90664662/how-biontech-created-a-new-delta-focused-covid-vaccine-in-just-a-few-weeks">How BioNTech created a new delta-focused COVID vaccine in just a few weeks</a>, described how creating some vaccines has become almost as easy as updating software code using mRNA. That was unheard of until recently and is critical as we encounter future viral illnesses and variants. It also lets us re-imagine how we might retool existing vaccines.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-29419" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Vaccine.png" alt="" width="164" height="168" />
Much like software, it&#8217;s now possible for biology to be sequenced and programmed using a &#8220;platform technology&#8221; so that if you change a sequence of the code, it is stable enough that everything else remains the same.  What used to take years now takes weeks. Like many breakthroughs, this discovery of mRNA as a potential platform in care delivery was not an overnight success. It was a consequence of risk-taking, personal sacrifice, and resilience. 
This <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2020/11/10/the-story-of-mrna-how-a-once-dismissed-idea-became-a-leading-technology-in-the-covid-vaccine-race/">background article</a> written before the approval of the mRNA vaccine is equally inspiring. It details the bold vision of Hungarian-born scientist Katalin Karikó, who spent the 1990s getting rejected for her grants for mRNA. 
In 1995, she was demoted when her bosses thought the pursuit of mRNA was a dead end. Yet, she persisted, and the foundational science behind her work is the pillar to our mRNA vaccines today.” 

<h2>Polygenic Scores Enter the Mainstream</h2>
<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/be-fascinated-for-womens-history-month/">Shirley Wu</a>, Director, Product Science

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="155" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Polygenic-Risk-score-1024x155.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29420" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Polygenic-Risk-score-1024x155.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Polygenic-Risk-score-300x45.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Polygenic-Risk-score-768x116.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Polygenic-Risk-score-880x133.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Polygenic-Risk-score.png 1026w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
“While there have been many compelling genetics stories related to the COVID-19 pandemic, one theme in genetics that I’ve found very interesting this year was the conversation around polygenic scores. 
Polygenic scores are statistical models that combine the effects of potentially thousands or millions of genetic factors, sometimes alongside other factors, to predict the likelihood of a disease or trait in an individual. These started to become part of the academic sphere about five to eight years ago, but this year it became clear that they’ve entered the mainstream. 
Biotech and pharmaceutical companies are leveraging them to improve drug development, healthcare systems are beginning to apply polygenic scores to patient populations, and companies (including 23andMe) are offering them to consumers and healthcare providers. 
With that comes all the <a href="https://genomemedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13073-021-00829-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://genomemedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13073-021-00829-7&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1641313460594000&amp;usg=AOvVaw09nnlrAHzEpbAqzEBbQVE3">challenges and debates</a> around ensuring validity, demonstrating utility, and ethical questions. Also, are models that predict traits like intelligence or neurodivergence <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/09/13/can-progressives-be-convinced-that-genetics-matters" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/09/13/can-progressives-be-convinced-that-genetics-matters&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1641313460594000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0TZiNtUsOxzKUYVlMWq8HN">appropriate</a>? And how do we address health disparities, given that most of the data underlying these models are from samples of European descent?
A common thread that ties this discussion to what we do at 23andMe is figuring out how to broaden access to the benefits of the genome in a responsible, science-driven way. I’ll follow closely where this conversation goes in the next year and beyond!”

United Plates of America

This week, 23andMe&#8217;s CEO and Co-Founder Anne Wojcicki was included on a list of the best CEOs based on employee reviews.

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="853" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/best-ceo-2021-large-1024x853.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29398" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/best-ceo-2021-large-1024x853.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/best-ceo-2021-large-300x250.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/best-ceo-2021-large-768x640.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/best-ceo-2021-large-880x733.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/best-ceo-2021-large-1180x983.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/best-ceo-2021-large.png 1220w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
Released this week by <a href="https://www.comparably.com/awards/winners/best-ceo-2021-large">Comparably</a>, the list is of the top 25 CEOs among large companies, meaning companies of 500 or more employees. It was compiled through ratings from employees on Comparably.com over 12 months.
It&#8217;s not a bad way to finish out an exciting year. Along with steering 23andMe through its transition to a <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/news-23andme-on-nasdaq">publicly-traded company</a>, this year Anne guided our acquisition of the telemedicine and digital pharmacy company, <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/news/23andme-to-acquire-lemonaid-health/">Lemonaid Health</a>. She did that while cultivating a work culture that embraces innovation, inclusion, and diversity.
As one employee said, &#8220;Anne is a really cool and down-to-earth CEO.&#8221;

Best CEO

A team of researchers in Australia found more than 70 genetic variants associated with cutaneous melanoma, one of the most lethal forms of skin cancer.
<h6>Types of Skin Cancer</h6>
Only about two percent of skin cancers are melanoma, but this aggressive form of cancer is responsible for the vast majority of skin cancer deaths. The rate of melanoma has also <a href="https://ephtracking.cdc.gov/Applications/melanomadashboard/">increased over time</a>. While ultraviolet radiation from sun exposure and skin sensitivity is a key factor in the risk for melanoma, genetic factors also play a role. This study was an attempt to learn more about the genetic influence on the risk for melanoma.
<h6>New Method to Research Melanoma</h6>
For their study, published in the <a href="https://www.jidonline.org/article/S0022-202X(21)02513-6/fulltext#secsectitle0070">Journal of Investigative Dermatology</a>, the scientists from Australia’s QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, used a two-step process.
First, they looked at genetic associations for cutaneous melanoma. They did this by combining findings from previous genome wide association studies that used data from the UK Biobank, and Australia’s QSkin Sun and Health Study. The next step involved looking at traits associated with the condition. Among the traits they looked at are associated with melanoma were the number of moles a person has, and the propensity to get sunburn. 
By combining these two processes, they identified known genetic variant. But the researchers also identified variants that were not previously known to be associated with melanoma. The findings were then replicated using data from 23andMe and the Melanoma Institute Australia.
<h6>Connections with Autoimmune Diseases</h6>
Among the more than 70 genetic variants identified were 19 variants not previously known to be associated with melanoma. And within those were variants also associated with autoimmune diseases for conditions such as psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. Some of the strongest associations were variants in the LPP  and the SH2B3 genes. Both of these genes play a role in regulating the body&#8217;s immune response.
According to the researchers, these findings may offer keys to potential future treatments. There are already promising treatments that target genes involved in regulating the immune response. These include tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors, which is targets the CTLA-4 protein on T cells.
Read the full paper <a href="https://www.jidonline.org/article/S0022-202X(21)02513-6/fulltext#secsectitle0070">here</a>.

New Genetic Findings on Melanoma

Stephanie McKenna, 34, settled into her seat as her plane began its descent into Phoenix, Arizona. 
Thirty-six thousand feet below, Tom Chaney, a Marine Veteran and Stephanie’s newfound biological father, made his way to the arrivals terminal of the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to greet her <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-customer-stories/a-father-and-daughter-meet-for-the-first-time/">for the first time</a>.
Father and daughter shared an instant bond. “We have so many similarities. It’s not even funny. It is ridiculous,” Tom said.
Their emotional meeting was months in the making. And it started with a Christmas gift. 
After expressing interest in learning more about her identity, Stephanie’s adoptive parents gave her a 23andMe kit for Christmas. That led Stephanie to her biological grandfather and, ultimately, to Tom. 
For many customers, the gift of 23andMe has been the gift of a lifetime. Some, like Stephanie, have discovered family members. Some have experienced a new sense of connection and belonging. Still others have learned valuable health information that has allowed them to make informed choices. Here are a few of their stories. 
&nbsp;

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Stephanie_Tom_1_lbcrop-1024x640.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29394" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Stephanie_Tom_1_lbcrop-1024x640.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Stephanie_Tom_1_lbcrop-300x188.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Stephanie_Tom_1_lbcrop-768x480.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Stephanie_Tom_1_lbcrop-880x550.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Stephanie_Tom_1_lbcrop-1180x738.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Stephanie_Tom_1_lbcrop.png 1440w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
<h6>The Gift of Family </h6>
In September 1988, just four months after Melanie Pressley made the wrenching decision to put her infant son up for adoption, she received a letter from his adoptive parents that put her mind — and heart — at ease. 
“Dear Birth Mom of ‘Our’ Baby,” it began. “Please, if you ever wonder about him, know he is loved and we will strive as hard as possible to be good parents.”
“It made me feel like I had done the right thing,” Melanie said. 
As the years passed, Melanie got married, had three children, and put down roots in Ohio. But she never stopped wondering about the child she gave up, and she harbored hope that they would one day reconnect. 
A combined Mother’s Day and birthday gift of 23andMe helped to realize that dream. Melanie’s report showed a DNA match with someone who might be her son — 32-year-old Greg Vossler. She immediately reached out. The two began communicating regularly via email and text and they <a href="https://www.winchesterstar.com/winchester_star/mother-and-adopted-son-reunited-a-surreal-and-crazy-moment/article_edb8d3cb-b3fd-50c5-b2b8-417ea952c773.html">finally met in person</a> at Melanie’s home this year. 
&#8220;Melanie’s family coming into my life at this point has been a blessing,” Greg told Fox News. 
“It&#8217;s kind of re-ignited some passions and excitement.&#8221;
&nbsp;

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Melanie-and-Greg-first-hug-lb-crop-use-1024x640.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29392" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Melanie-and-Greg-first-hug-lb-crop-use-1024x640.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Melanie-and-Greg-first-hug-lb-crop-use-300x188.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Melanie-and-Greg-first-hug-lb-crop-use-768x480.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Melanie-and-Greg-first-hug-lb-crop-use-880x550.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Melanie-and-Greg-first-hug-lb-crop-use-1180x738.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Melanie-and-Greg-first-hug-lb-crop-use.png 1440w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
<h6>The Gift of Connection</h6>
In many ways, Katie Ares, Leigh Ann Baglin, and Scott McCreary are typical siblings. They’re comfortable with each other and share an easy camaraderie. They talk frequently — trading details, stories, and updates about their lives.
But unlike most brothers and sisters, up until a few years ago, the siblings didn’t know each other existed. 
Now in their 30s, the three were all born in South Korea and adopted separately by families in the United States. It was by chance that they each used 23andMe. 
Katie received a 23andMe kit as a gift from her employer. 
“I didn’t have any expectations from it,” Katie said. “I just thought, ‘OK, this is neat. It’s interesting. I wonder if anything’s going to come of it.’: 
Something did come of it. Opting-in and using 23andMe’s DNA Relatives tool, Katie connected with her sister Leigh Ann and brother Scott for the first time.
Scott described the experience: “It’s just absolutely insane meeting these people that you’ve never known your whole life, but when you meet them, you fall right into place, just like you have been together your entire life.”
What’s next for the trio? Catching up on lost time. They spent a weekend in Phoenix and hope to plan more trips soon. Finally being together was “amazing and so fun,” Leigh Ann said. “It was a short but very sweet trip.” 
&nbsp;

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/siblings_lbcrop-1024x640.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29393" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/siblings_lbcrop-1024x640.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/siblings_lbcrop-300x188.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/siblings_lbcrop-768x480.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/siblings_lbcrop-880x550.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/siblings_lbcrop-1180x738.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/siblings_lbcrop.png 1440w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
<h6></h6>
<h6>The Gift of Knowledge</h6>
On Christmas morning in 2018, Margaret Fox tore the wrapping paper off a present to discover a 23andMe Health + Ancestry kit. Her family had all chipped in to buy the kits for each other. 
“We thought it would be a fun thing to take,” explained Mollie Gelburd, Margaret’s sister. “We were never expecting it would end up leading to any sort of clinical change.”
Two months later, Margaret received an email from 23andMe letting her know her reports were ready. After opting in to receive her health information and going through educational modules about the reports, she opened her BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) Genetic Health Risk Report.* It indicated she had one of the three variants for which 23andMe tests. Margaret, who was only 28 at the time, was stunned. She was aware of her family’s Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, and she had a great aunt who had battled breast and ovarian cancer, but she “never believed it was something to be overly concerned about.”
Females with one of the three variants 23andMe tests for — no matter their ancestry — have an increased risk of developing certain cancers including breast and ovarian. Armed with this knowledge, Margaret sprang into action. She set up an appointment with her general practitioner who referred her to a genetic counselor for follow-up testing. When her tests confirmed what she learned in 23andMe’s report, Margaret began receiving regular breast radiology checkups. This preventative monitoring continued for nearly 18 months until one day she felt a small, painful lump in her breast. She was eventually diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. 
Margaret was immediately connected to an oncologist and a surgeon and began IVF treatments to preserve her fertility. 
Today she is partway through a 16-week course of chemotherapy and the prognosis, her sister said, looks good. 
Margaret acknowledged that her journey is not the “traditional 23andMe success story.” “But in a way, it is,” she said. “This is about survival. We caught this early.” 
Mollie agreed: “I often think about how grateful I am for 23andMe’s health test results, which notified us of her status and enabled her to engage in screenings she likely would not have pursued. As a result of this test, her doctors were able to catch her cancer before it spread beyond the breast. I can’t help but think that the health results from 23andMe may have saved my sister’s life.”
&nbsp;

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&nbsp;
This holiday season, give the most meaningful gift you can — <a href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/?bst=pff">23andMe</a>. 
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*23andMe health predisposition reports include both reports that meet FDA requirements for genetic health risks and reports which are based on 23andMe research and have 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. 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. For certain conditions, we provide a single report that includes information on both carrier status and genetic health risk. Warnings &amp; Limitations: The 23andMe PGS Genetic Health Risk Report for BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) is indicated for reporting of the 185delAG and 5382insC variants in the BRCA1 gene and the 6174delT variant in the BRCA2 gene. The report describes if a woman is at increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, and if a man is at increased risk of developing breast cancer or may be at increased risk of developing prostate cancer. The three variants included in this report are most common in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent and do not represent the majority of BRCA1/BRCA2 variants in the general population. This report does not include variants in other genes linked to hereditary cancers and the absence of variants included in this report does 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. For important information and limitations regarding each genetic health risk report, visit<a href="https://www.23andme.com/test-info/"> 23andme.com/test-info/</a>.

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