On the cusp of turning 70 Linda learned that she wasn’t an only child after all, not only that but her newfound sister, Cheryl, was a former co-worker and good friend.
Linda and Cheryl’s story aired recently on the Today Show. If you didn’t get to see Anne Thompson’s report on the sisters take a moment and check it out here:
<iframe width="560" height="315" loading="lazy" src="https://www.today.com/today/embedded-video/mmvo128391749881" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
For Cheryl learning that her father, the man who raised her, wasn’t her biological father was a shock. But reconnecting with her old friend Linda and learning that they were in fact sister, has been a joy.
“It’s been a blessing really,” she said.
Not only have the two reconnected but they learned that for a couple of months each year they live just a mile apart making it that much easier to get reacquainted and build memories as sisters and friends.

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

Long Lost Friends Learn They’re Also Sisters

The number of people who are nearsighted, who need glasses to see distant objects clearly, has<a href="https://www.nei.nih.gov/about/news-and-events/news/myopia-close-look-efforts-turn-back-growing-problem"> risen dramatically</a> over the last 50 years.
Known as myopia, nearsightedness is quite common, and occurs when the shape of the eye is elongated or the cornea of the eye is angled in a way that prevents the eye from focusing light properly.  It’s estimated that about 45 percent of adults in the U.S. aged 20 and older are nearsighted. In many parts of East Asia, the rates are much higher than that.
&nbsp;

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="536" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Nearsightedness-Blog-1200x628-2-1024x536.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29397" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Nearsightedness-Blog-1200x628-2-1024x536.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Nearsightedness-Blog-1200x628-2-300x157.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Nearsightedness-Blog-1200x628-2-768x402.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Nearsightedness-Blog-1200x628-2-880x461.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Nearsightedness-Blog-1200x628-2-1180x618.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Nearsightedness-Blog-1200x628-2.png 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 

<h6>23andMe+</h6>
This week, we released a new 23andMe+ report (Powered by 23andMe Research) that looks at a person’s likelihood of being nearsighted and provides information about the condition as well as ways to protect your vision.
The new report uses machine learning techniques to estimate a person’s likelihood of being nearsighted. To make that estimate, we use a statistical model that includes more than 2,700 genetic variants, and also takes into account a person’s ethnicity and birth sex. Most cases of nearsightedness actually develop during childhood and then stabilize during adulthood.
Besides genetics, other factors like age, family history, and ethnicity all play a role in the likelihood of developing myopia. But research funded by the<a href="https://www.nei.nih.gov/about/news-and-events/news/myopia-close-look-efforts-turn-back-growing-problem"> NIH’s National Eye Institute</a> suggests that the rapid rise in cases is most likely related to lifestyle changes. More children spending more time indoors, for instance, or spending more hours doing “near work” like reading, or looking at computer screens or smartphones, may all contribute to the increase.
Nearsightedness develops as changes in eye shape move the focal point of our vision. Light from an object in our field of vision is focused first by the cornea and lens onto the retina, which is in the back of our eyeball and sends a signal to the brain. When the shape of the eye changes so the focal point is moved in front of the retina instead, distant objects appear blurry.
&nbsp;

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="380" height="197" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/nearsightedness-story-1.eca30fdefebc.svg" alt="" class="wp-image-29362"/></figure>
 
<h6></h6>
<h6>Research</h6>
23andMe scientists have contributed to research looking into genetic associations for nearsightedness, including<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/nearsightedness/"> a 2020 study</a> that found that genes involved in circadian rhythm are also associated with nearsightedness.
Data from more than 100,000 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research were also used in<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/findings-on-nearsightedness/"> a massive 2018 study</a> that identified 8,000 genetic variants associated with nearsightedness. Other 23andMe research into the genetic basis for the condition go back<a href="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/ASHG2012MyopiaGWAS.jm_.pdf"> almost a decade</a>.
<h6>Taking Action</h6>
Although encouraging children to spend <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2441261">more time outdoors</a> has been one approach to try and stem the rise in nearsightedness, experts do not yet agree on what other lifestyle changes can help prevent or slow its progression.
However, they do agree that healthy lifestyle habits can lower the chances of developing other eye conditions. Among those habits are regular eye exams, wearing sunglasses to block UV light, and taking breaks from near-work or computer screen time to avoid eye strain. A healthy diet and exercise can also help by lowering the likelihood of developing conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes, which can damage one’s vision.
<h6>More</h6>
23andMe’s new Nearsightedness report (Powered by 23andMe Research) is available to all 23andMe+ members. To learn more about your report, go <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/prs.nearsightedness/">here</a>. 
Not yet a 23andMe+ member? Find out more <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership">here</a>.
<hr />
*The 23andMe+ Nearsightedness report is based on 23andMe research and incorporates more than 2,700 genetic variants to provide information on the likelihood of being nearsighted. The report does not account for lifestyle or family history and has not been reviewed by the US Food and Drug Administration.

New 23andMe+ Report on Nearsightedness

Our commitment to transparency never ends, so we put together answers to several of the most commonly asked questions we receive about privacy at 23andMe.
You should read our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/privacy/">Privacy Statement</a> for details, but this is a good summary of some of the basics that you can review in just a few minutes. Feel free to <a href="http://privacy@23andme.com">contact us</a> with any of your privacy questions that we don’t cover below.
<h6>First up, since folks have asked: Now that 23andMe is a public company, does that change how my data is treated?</h6>
Too Long, Didn’t Read (TLDR): Becoming a publicly traded company does not change our privacy commitments to you.  We do not share your data with any investor!
I need more details:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Our Privacy Statement details our commitments to you about your data (or, as we refer to it in our Privacy Statement, your Personal Information). 23andMe customer Personal Information remains subject to the promises made in our Privacy Statement, which specifically addresses how 23andMe will handle Personal Information in the event of a merger or acquisition.</li>
<li aria-level="1">We won’t make important changes to our Privacy Statement or other legal documents without alerting you. If we have a material change to make, you’ll know about it before those changes become effective so you have an opportunity to make a choice about your continued use of our Services. You’ll hear from us through a banner or in-app notice, or email message for those types of changes.</li>
</ul>
<h6>Question 2: Do you sell my data when I sign up for 23andMe?</h6>
TLDR: Nope!
I need more details:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">With core values like transparency and choice, we are not in the business of selling your Personal Information for commercial purposes such as advertising or marketing.</li>
<li aria-level="1">When it comes to Research, we only use or share your data if we receive your explicit consent. Participation in our Research is opt-in and entirely voluntary. Learn more about our Research program <a href="https://www.23andme.com/research">here</a>.</li>
</ul>
<h6>Question 3: Do I need to participate in Research?</h6>
TLDR: Participation in our Research is opt-in and entirely voluntary. Whether or not a customer participates in 23andMe Research, the consumer experience is the same.
I need more details:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">The purpose of 23andMe Research is to make new discoveries about genetics and other factors behind diseases and traits &#8211; about people in general, not about you specifically.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Customers choose whether to participate in Research after they read a separate research consent. This means we do not bundle our Research consent into the Terms of Service or any other consent. Only customers that participate in our Research program are included in any analysis completed by our scientists for research studies or collaborations. Customers can change their Research consent preference at any time in their Account Settings. Don’t believe how simple it is? Give it a try!</li>
<li aria-level="1">If it’s so simple, there must be a catch, right? Nope! Choosing not to participate in Research does not impact your 23andMe experience. If you choose not to opt-in to participate in Research, or if you later opt-out of participating, you will still be able to access all of the same reports and product features as customers who are participating in our Research program.</li>
</ul>
<h6>Question 3 (continued): If I participate in Research, what types of data do you share?</h6>
TLDR: In our 23andMe Research program, we may share summaries of research results, which do not identify any particular individuals, with third-party research collaborators, such as academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies, but we won’t share information about you without your separate, explicit consent.
I need more details:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">When we conduct Research in collaboration with a third party, we run a series of analyses on de-identified data in-house. Then, we send summary information and supporting data (i.e., information about specific genetic variants of significance) to collaborators. Data is summarized so individual-level data is not identified. We also include terms in our contracts with research collaborators to protect customer data, such as prohibiting any attempts to re-identify individuals.</li>
<li aria-level="1">An example of a summary of research results is &#8220;20% of men between the ages of 30 and 35 report having some form of cancer and XX genetic variants in common.”</li>
<li aria-level="1">We do not share any of your Registration Information (e.g., name, contact information, etc.), nor is your Registration Information available to 23andMe researchers running those analyses with any collaborator without your separate, explicit consent. We may recruit for studies in specific disease areas, such as <a href="https://www.23andme.com/lupus/">lupus</a>, and <a href="https://www.23andme.com/depression-bipolar/">depression</a>. For those studies we ask participants to sign a separate consent authorizing the sharing of their Registration Information with the named third party collaborator.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Hey, what about the individual-level data sharing research consent? Glad you asked — we enable customers to share more detailed information about themselves with our collaborators which may further accelerate research if they choose. But this is an additional, separate and explicit choice that the Research participant makes. Unless you choose to participate in individual-level data sharing, your individual-level, de-identified Genetic Information and Self-Reported Information is not shared with collaborators. To be clear, even if you consent to individual-level data sharing, we still do not share any of your Registration Information with collaborators.</li>
<li aria-level="1">If you ever want a refresh or to learn more, links to our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/privacy/">Privacy Statement</a> and <a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/consent/">Research Consent Document</a> can be easily found in the website footer or in the Settings menu of our mobile app.</li>
</ul>
<h6>Question 4: How can Research participants learn about how their data is used?</h6>
TLDR: Take a look at the docs linked in that last bullet above, and you will find the details about our Research data use practices. In the spirit of transparency, we have announced many of our collaborations with pharmaceutical companies to make customers aware of how their data may be used for research. And, if you are a genetics geek like us, you might want to check out our publications on studies conducted with academic institutions. Or, better yet, if you have chosen to participate in our Research program, check out which published studies <a href="https://you.23andme.com/research/publications/">your data has been used in</a> right in your <a href="https://you.23andme.com/user/">Account Settings</a>!
I need more details:
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-29345 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Research-Contributions-list.png" alt="An image showing how 23andMe shows customers who have consented to participate in research the list of studies that their data was used in." width="512" height="442" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Research-Contributions-list.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Research-Contributions-list-300x259.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Before we launched our Research program over a decade ago, we worked with the Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) program, founded in 1990 as part of the Human Genome Project. The ELSI program was created to identify and address issues that genomics research could trigger with regard to impacting people, families, and society. We engaged with this community early on to incorporate strong ethical standards into our program.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Following our discussions with ELSI, we approached a third party institutional review board (“IRB”) and worked together to create an entirely new model of research based on an online experience. The job of the IRB is to review and monitor our Research to make sure that the people taking part in Research are fully informed about the risks and benefits of participating. Our model ensures we have third party oversight of our Research program, including clear, informed consent.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Further, our Research program is built on the ethical principles laid out in the <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/belmont.html">Belmont Report</a>, which describes guidelines for treating people right in research.</li>
<li aria-level="1">And we’ve taken it a step further by ensuring 23andMe’s Research actually adheres to a much stricter federal standard called the <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/commonrule/index.html">Common Rule</a>. Although the Common Rule technically only applies to federally-funded research, 23andMe voluntarily applies it to its Research program.</li>
<li aria-level="1">We walk-the-talk, too. Every one of our researchers undergoes training on protecting human subjects and responsible conduct of research. We have multiple teams dedicated to making sure all of our work follows applicable federal regulations related to human subjects research and the instructions of our IRB.</li>
<li aria-level="1">We work to bring visibility to our Research activities by providing Research participants with information about published studies they have contributed to. Check out the link above!</li>
<li aria-level="1">As already mentioned, you can change your mind about Research participation anytime, no questions asked. We can’t go back and remove your data from research or studies that have already been conducted, however, you can rest assured that your data will not be used in any new Research initiatives that start more than 30 days after your consent change (it may take up to 30 days to withdraw your data after you withdraw your consent).</li>
</ul>
<h6>Question 5: Why do you collaborate with pharma companies?</h6>
TLDR: We continue to be committed to our mission to help people access, understand and benefit from the human genome. We believe that working with others, including pharma companies, can help accelerate our ability to more quickly develop treatments and cures. We work with academic institutions for the same reason, too!
I need more details:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">We believe transparency is critical. Our Research consent describes our collaborations with various third parties, including pharmaceutical companies, so customers can make an informed choice.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Drug development is a long and expensive process. Through our collaborations with industry, nonprofits and research institutions, we hope to bring more successful treatments and cures to people faster. <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1008489">Studies</a> have shown treatments validated with genetic data are at least twice as likely to succeed. We want to change the drug development process and make it more efficient. Ultimately, we are committed to discovering and developing novel therapies to improve patient lives through the study of human genetics.</li>
<li aria-level="1">We also want people to feel like they are part of the process and we strive to treat them like partners rather than research subjects. We empower our customers to choose whether they want to play a role in collectively sharing their Personal Information to fuel scientific discoveries. Approximately eighty percent of 23andMe&#8217;s customers consent to participate in Research.</li>
<li aria-level="1">When we’ve entered into major collaborations with academic institutions or pharmaceutical companies in the past, we’ve informed our customers through email, blog posts or press outreach. For example, when we entered into a collaboration with GSK, we used all three approaches, including emailing customers, posting details of the project on our blog, and engaging with journalists on stories about the effort.</li>
</ul>
<h6>Question 6: Is my data secure?</h6>
TLDR: 23andMe is ISO 27001 certified, and we also hold other certifications to confirm our commitment to your security and privacy. But, security is a two-way street and we try to make it easy to be secure with 23andMe. In addition to the security measures we’ve undertaken, we provide customers with security tools to protect their accounts, such as two-step verification.
I need details:
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Our information security management system, which protects 23andMe data, has been <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-and-you/data-privacy-certifications/">certified under ISO 27001, ISO 27701, and ISO 27018</a>! An ISO certification is awarded after extensive audits by an independent third party. 23andMe is the first direct-to-consumer genetic testing company to be assessed against all three standards.</li>
<li aria-level="1">We have security measures in place for authentication, encryption (at rest and in transit), least privilege access, and authorization to our systems and proprietary technologies to support customer security. 23andMe access combines token-based, multi-factor authentication and strict least-privileged authorization controls.</li>
<li aria-level="1">We store your data in segregated databases. For example, your Registration Information (such as name and email) and Genetic Information are stored separately in secured, segmented databases, which reduces the risk of, and incentive to, commit a breach.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li aria-level="1">Your own security precautions are critical. For example, you should not share your password with others or use previously compromised passwords. If you do, we are not responsible for those actions.</li>
</ul>
<h6>Question 7: Have you ever detected any breach?</h6>
TLDR: No, we have not detected any breaches of Personal Information to date. I need details: See the TLDR — we don’t have additional details because it is just that simple.
<h6>Question 8: I’ve read that 23andMe is not regulated. Is that true?</h6>
TLDR: 23andMe, and our Health + Ancestry Service, is certainly regulated.
I need details:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">For starters, our carrier status, genetic health risk and pharmacogenetic reports are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) and have been reviewed and authorized or cleared by the FDA.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Far from being “unregulated”, 23andMe’s health reports have been reviewed and cleared by the FDA six times at the time of this blog publication. <a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfpmn/denovo.cfm?ID=DEN140044">23andMe’s six authorizations and clearances</a> for the reports below:
<ul>
<li aria-level="2">Carrier screening (de novo)</li>
<li aria-level="2">Genetic Health Risk reports (de novo)</li>
<li aria-level="2">BRCA 1/2 (Selected Variants) cancer predisposition (de novo)</li>
<li aria-level="2">MUTYH-Associated Polyposis cancer predisposition (510k)</li>
<li aria-level="2">Pharmacogenetic reports (de novo)</li>
<li aria-level="2">Pharmacogenetic reports (510k)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li aria-level="1">23andMe is the first direct-to-consumer genetic testing company to meet FDA requirements for its health reports. Our FDA authorized reports meet a greater than 99% accuracy standard when compared to Sanger sequencing. In addition, in connection with meeting FDA requirements, 23andMe <a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/reviews/den160026.pdf">demonstrated</a> that US consumers, regardless of education, age, gender or ethnicity can comprehend their 23andMe results, enabling them to be used safely without a doctor’s prescription.</li>
<li aria-level="1">As an FDA manufacturer, 23andMe also meets the <a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/digital-health-center-excellence/cybersecurity">Federal FDA Cybersecurity requirements</a>.</li>
<li aria-level="1">23andMe is inspected intermittently by the FDA. These inspections have found no deficiencies of its adherence to Federal quality standards.</li>
</ul>
<h6>Question 9: Does 23andMe share my data with China?</h6>
TLDR: Nope!
I need details:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">23andMe’s contract laboratories are located in the United States. As part of our FDA submissions, we identify all of our key suppliers, none of which are based or located in China.</li>
<li aria-level="1">We do not do business in China or use any Chinese-based laboratories for our genetic testing service. We do not store data in China.</li>
</ul>
<h6>Question 10: Do you cooperate with law enforcement agencies looking to solve cold cases?</h6>
TLDR: No, 23andMe will exercise any available legal measures to object to a law enforcement request. As of the date of this publication, we have not released any individual user data to law enforcement. Take a look at our track record in our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/transparency-report/">Transparency Report.</a>
I need details:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Respect for customer privacy and transparency are core principles that guide 23andMe&#8217;s approach to responding to legal requests and maintaining customer trust. In 2015, 23andMe was the first consumer genetics company to publish a <a href="https://www.23andme.com/transparency-report/">Transparency Report</a>, which details the government requests for data we receive and how we have responded. This report is updated quarterly. As of the date of this publication, we have not released any individual user data to law enforcement and we want to keep it that way.</li>
<li aria-level="1">We closely scrutinize all law enforcement and regulatory requests and we will only comply with court orders, subpoenas, search warrants or other requests that we determine are legally valid and legally require our response after exhausting other options.</li>
<li aria-level="1">If, despite our resistance, we are required by law to comply with a valid court order, subpoena, or search warrant for a customer’s Genetic Information or Personal Information, we will try to notify you through the contact information you provided us before we disclose this information to law enforcement, unless doing so would violate the law or a court order. This provides you with a chance to move to quash the subpoena before we are required to answer it.</li>
</ul>

An image of a lock a computer, DNA and a mobile phone representing security protections.

The 23andMe privacy team answers 10 common questions

Whether you plan to gather again virtually or celebrate Thanksgiving in person this year, the holiday offers a chance to bond with family and take action regarding your health.



And it&#8217;s all as simple as <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/four-tips-for-talking-to-relatives-about-medical-history">asking a few questions of those you love</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-family-health-history-day">Family Health History Day</h2>



The third Thursday in November marks Thanksgiving in the United States, but it&#8217;s also <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/genomics/famhistory/knowing_not_enough.htm">National Family Health History Day</a>, a time to assess the conditions that run in your family.



Knowing your family&#8217;s health history may be invaluable for you and your family. The history you share with your family includes stories that connect you to your past and information that you can use now and in the future.



Many of us don&#8217;t know what health issues our grandparents or great aunts and uncles dealt with in their lives, but understanding that may help you and future generations. Preventing illness is often about knowing your risks, including risks for conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or cancer. A family health history is often a cornerstone of one&#8217;s medical record, offering you and your healthcare provider information you can use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-make-a-record">Make a Record</h2>



A family health history records your biological relatives&#8217; diseases and health conditions over generations. Along with a shared history, you also share DNA with your biological relatives, and that shared genetics influences your health. Knowing that shared history raises awareness of what to look out for in the future. In addition, it gives you and your healthcare provider another layer of information to help keep you well.



Several tools can also help you track this information. The Centers for Disease Control offers a tool called the <a href="https://cbiit.github.io/FHH/html/index.html">Family Health Portrait</a> to help you document and then save this information. For instance, 23andMe&#8217;s Family Health History Tree for Health + Ancestry Service customers also record and preserve that history.



Much like any family tree, this one visually represents how you connect to different relatives. But this tree adds the ability to include medical conditions, offering you a visual record of current and past health issues for you and your close relatives. 23andMe&#8217;s Family Health History Tree lets you record information you and your healthcare provider can use to help you manage your health.



Check it out <a href="https://you.23andme.com/family/tree/#health">here</a>. Not yet a customer? Find out more <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry?fhht=v1">here</a>.

For Your Future Ask About Your Past And Document Your Family Health History

The opioid crisis presents a public health emergency without clear solutions. One key to unraveling the problem is understanding not just the causes of addiction, but understanding the steps taken leading people toward addiction.
A new genetic study by a team of scientists at UC San Diego School of Medicine proposed a cost-effective approach for studying the genetic basis of opioid addiction — termed “opioid use disorder” in the study — in large population-based cohorts instead of clinical cohorts.
Published in the journal<a href="https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41380-021-01335-3&amp;t=OTRiN2RkZjZkNzY4MmI1NTliNDE0N2JmZDRiOTUxOTE0YTNhNTZhYSwwUFJVaEliQw%3D%3D&amp;b=t%3AP0Uz1DUMutRMdlhoe0mDtg&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fucsdhealthsciences.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F666758608951934976%2Fgenetic-signals-linked-to-problematic-opioid-use&amp;m=0&amp;ts=1635872583"> Molecular Psychiatry</a>, the study was led by Sandra Sanchez Roige, Ph.D., and Abraham Palmer, Ph.D.
Using data from more than 132,000 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research, the study is important because it focused on the opioid misuse that can lead to opioid use disorder. In past decades opioid addiction started with heroin, but in this new era more than 80 percent of opioid addiction begins with the use of a prescription pain reliever, according to the study.
So, for this study, the researchers performed a genome-wide association study looking simply at participants reporting that&nbsp; they had ‘ever taken prescription painkillers not as prescribed.’ Essentially the researchers identified those in the first step toward from use to misuse of opioids, as a way to study the genetic underpinnings of the condition.
“Our results show that this single question captured a genetic signal that is correlated with signals from well-characterized cohorts that have been clinically diagnosed with (opioid use disorder.)”
The UC San Diego team discovered novel genomic regions that influenced using opiate drugs not as prescribed. They also identified strong genetic correlations with other substance use traits, including opioid use disorder.
Read the full study in<a href="https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41380-021-01335-3&amp;t=OTRiN2RkZjZkNzY4MmI1NTliNDE0N2JmZDRiOTUxOTE0YTNhNTZhYSwwUFJVaEliQw%3D%3D&amp;b=t%3AP0Uz1DUMutRMdlhoe0mDtg&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fucsdhealthsciences.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F666758608951934976%2Fgenetic-signals-linked-to-problematic-opioid-use&amp;m=0&amp;ts=1635872583"> Molecular Psychiatry</a>.

Understanding Opioid Use Disorder

A large new study by a team of international researchers has identified shared genetic associations between irritable bowel syndrome and mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
The study, published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-021-00950-8">Nature</a>, used data from more than 50,000 people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and found that its symptoms may be caused by the same biological processes that trigger anxiety, depression, and insomnia.
<h6>Shared Genetic Origin</h6>
While the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/large-scale-genetic-study-reveals-new-clues-for-the-shared-origins-of-irritable-bowel-syndrome-and">study</a> highlights the interconnections between the brain and digestive health, the researchers said that the findings don’t mean that anxiety or mood disorders cause IBS, or that IBS causes <a href="http://35.88.189.111/articles/new-23andme-report-on-anxiety">anxiety</a> and mood disorders. Rather, that certain genes are involved in the progression of both conditions.
“Although IBS occurs more frequently in those who are prone to anxiety, we don’t believe that one causes the other,” said<a href="http://www.med.cam.ac.uk/parkes/"> Professor Miles Parkes</a> of the University of Cambridge, who was a co-senior investigator and consulting gastroenterologist on this research. “Our study shows these conditions have shared genetic origins, with the affected genes possibly leading to physical changes in brain or nerve cells that in turn cause symptoms in the brain and symptoms in the gut.”
Past studies have shown that anxiety and depression often go hand-in-hand with IBS, but this study showed that these associations are because of actual shared genetic processes and not because someone may become depressed or anxious because of having IBS.
<h6>Common Conditions</h6>
IBS and anxiety are both quite common. In the U.S. estimates are that about<a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/any-anxiety-disorder"> 20 percent of adults</a> experience an anxiety disorder, meaning their anxiety has caused mild to severe impairment of their day-to-day lives. It is estimated that<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41575-020-0286-8?proof=t#:~:text=Introduction-,Irritable%20bowel%20syndrome%20(IBS)%20is%20one%20of%20the%20most%20common,in%2010%20people%20globally1."> worldwide about one in 10 people</a> are affected by IBS. Symptoms of IBS include abdominal pain, bloating or bowel dysfunction significant enough to interfere with day-to-day activity. The causes of IBS are not well understood. But it tends to run in families and is more common in people who are prone to anxiety and other mood disorders.
For this study, the team of researchers from 40 different institutions identified different loci in six genes associated with IBS. Loci in four of those genes were also associated with mood and anxiety disorders. The researchers first used data from both the UK Biobank and the<a href="http://www.bionut.ki.se/groups/mda/bellygenes/index.html"> Bellygenes Initiative</a> — a worldwide study looking at genetic links to IBS. All the data came primarily from people of European ancestry, and the researchers used data from another 400,000 individuals who do not have IBS as a control group. The team then replicated their findings using de-identified data from 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research, which included more than 200,000 individuals with IBS and another 1.3 million who do not have the condition. The study also found a strong genome-wide correlation between the risk of IBS, and the risk for anxiety, neuroticism, and depression. Although IBS symptoms affect the gut and bowels, the genes associated with increased risk for IBS are not expressed there. Instead, they appear to have a clearer role in the brain, and possibly the network of nerves that serve the gut.
One of the paper’s lead authors,<a href="https://www.bdi.ox.ac.uk/Team/chris-eijsbouts"> Chris Eijsbouts</a>, of the University of Oxford, said the new research could aid in the development of new treatments in the future for these conditions.
&#8220;Even genetic changes that have only subtle effects on IBS can provide clues about pathways to target therapeutically,” Eiisbouts said. “Unlike the individual genetic changes themselves, drugs targeting the pathways they tell us about may have a considerable impact on the condition, as we know from other disease areas.&#8221;
Find the study in Nature <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-021-00950-8">here</a>.

New Genetic Study Finds Links Between Gut Issues with Anxiety

On Veterans’ Day this year, Jessica Dudley will think a lot about someone she’s never met. An Army Veteran she’d searched for her whole life.



“I’m very proud of him. I think he’s my hero,” she said. “Even though I never had the chance to know him. I feel very close to him. I feel his presence.”



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/image0-3-scaled-e1668737947434-225x300.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-29279" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/image0-3-scaled-e1668737947434-225x300.jpeg 225w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/image0-3-scaled-e1668737947434-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/image0-3-scaled-e1668737947434-660x880.jpeg 660w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/image0-3-scaled-e1668737947434-885x1180.jpeg 885w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Sgt. Lee Eugene Dudley</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-man-she-never-knew">A Man She Never Knew</h2>



For almost 50 years, she searched for her father, a man she’d never known. She didn’t even have his name. Born in Cam Ranh Bay in 1972, Jessica had a Cambodian mother and a father who was a US soldier. Her mother only told her about him that he was white, had a brace on one of his knees, and his name was “Lee.” Her mom told Jessica that he’d wanted to take them to the United States, but Jessica’s mom didn’t want to go.



It wasn’t easy growing up in Vietnam as an Amerasian kid. Her mother sent her off to live with a distant relative in Trà Vinh, a city far to the south. On top of that, she went blind when she was very young, adding to all the things that set her apart from everyone else around her.



“I woke up one morning and could not see,” Jessica said. “It was after the war and being an Amerasian kid&#8230;no one really cared.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coming-to-america">Coming to America</h2>



She made do. However, when Jessica turned 17, she immigrated to the United States alone and did not speak English. 



She ended up in New York City, where she was taken in for a short time by a foster care family while attending a school for the blind. What followed was a short-lived marriage and three kids. She worked, raised her children, and made a living as a massage therapist. But she never stopped searching for her father.



Then, a few years ago, her boyfriend gave her a gift, a 23andMe kit.



It took a while for Jessica to see how priceless his present had been.



“When my result came back, a woman named Lisa was predicted to be my first cousin,” Jessica said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exploring-her-23andme-matches">Exploring her 23andMe Matches</h2>



Jessica sent her a message, and Lisa quickly sent her a message back.



“When I got Lisa’s message, it felt like someone had just given me a million dollars.”



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="640" height="480" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Corrine-Lisas-twin-Jessica-Lisa-1-rotated-e1679007720908.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-29277" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Corrine-Lisas-twin-Jessica-Lisa-1-rotated-e1679007720908.jpeg 640w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Corrine-Lisas-twin-Jessica-Lisa-1-rotated-e1679007720908-300x225.jpeg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Lisa, center, with her twin cousins Corine on the left and Lisa on the right.</figcaption></figure>



She messaged Lisa sharing her story with her, asking if she was related to a man named “Lee.” Lisa thought she meant the last name of “Lee” and she didn’t know anyone in her family with that last name. She wished Jessica the best and their messages stopped there.



However, about a year later, Lisa reread Jessica’s message. It was clear they were closely related, and so she talked to her mom, telling her she didn’t know how to help since there was no one in the family with the name “Lee.” Her mom said they didn’t have anyone with that as a last name, but one of her uncles’ first names was Lee.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uncle-gene">Uncle Gene</h2>



Lisa had known her favorite uncle as Uncle Gene. She didn’t know his first name was “Lee Eugene.” Quickly she was back in communication with Jessica and shared photos of her uncle, the man who was Jessica’s biological father, Sgt. Major Lee Eugene Dudley died in 2005. Jessica has a computer program that can describe a photo, and she’d listen to the description of each photo her cousin Lisa shared of her dad that detailed the uniform, the close-cropped light brown hair, blue eyes, the square jaw, and the medals. He’d been so proud of that uniform that after he’d retired, he’d asked his niece if she’d mind him wearing his uniform to her wedding.



In turn, Jessica shared photos of herself with her newfound biological family, and immediately, they saw the resemblance between the cousins. Jessica looked so much like her father’s mother, and she shared the same slim, long-limbed build as her cousins. Lisa and her twin sister Corine are also Amerasian but half-Japanese. Jessica looks like their sister.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright"><img decoding="async" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Jessica-at-Sand-Hill-Cemetery-1-300x225.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-29276"/></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-getting-to-know-more-about-her-father">Getting to Know More About Her Father</h2>



More importantly, Jessica learned about her father. He had no other children. He’d served four combat tours of duty in Vietnam, as well as in the Dominican Republic and Grenada. He’d risen to the highest enlisted ranks as a sergeant major in the infantry and served in the 82nd Airborne. He’d been awarded a silver and bronze star with ‘V’ and oak leaf, a recognition for the medals received in combat for valor and heroism. He received a Purple Heart for being wounded in combat. He also had a meritorious service medal for his time in combat. Jessica’s mother had met him after he’d been shot in the leg, hence the brace. Duty and service were essential to him, and he told his family that he’d never married because he didn’t want to burden a wife with that kind of life. Even when he retired after 30 years of service, he taught ROTC first at a college in Oklahoma and then at a high school in North Carolina.



She was sad that he’d died before she could meet him, but learning all this about her father gave her a sense of pride and belonging. She changed her last name to “Dudley.” And even though it was during the pandemic, she drove from her home in Connecticut to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where her father is buried. She found his gravestone and ran her fingers over the inscription, name, rank, and birth and death dates. She placed flowers there and at the grave of one of her friends, a fellow soldier with whom he served. She opened a bottle of his favorite cognac and poured a bit on each grave.



“I’d waited so long to find him, so the least I could do was go to his grave,” Jessica said. “I’m very proud of my father even though I didn’t ever meet him.”



Jessica has met her cousins and plans to move to the West Coast to be closer to them.



“I feel so complete,” she said. “I feel I’m home. I feel like I belong.”

A photo of Jessica at Sand Hill Cemetery touching her birth father's gravestone.

A Veterans’ Day Story From 23andMe

Editor&#8217;s note: A previous version of this blog post had an error in the HLA table, which has been corrected in this version.
By Janie Shelton, Ph.D., and Daniella Coker, MPH*
As part of 23andMe’s ongoing study into COVID-19, our scientists have recently looked at how people <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/covid-19-vaccine-reactions/">react differently to different vaccines</a>, noting that those who previously had COVID-19, as well as women and younger people reacted the strongest to the vaccine.
Following up on that data, we also wanted to better understand whether genetics could help explain those differences and whether that could help us better understand the virus. We found that some variants in a complex of genes involved in immune response are associated with being more likely to have a strong reaction to the vaccine and some make it less likely.

<h6>Participating in COVID-19 Research</h6>
Before we go into details it’s important to note that this kind of study is possible because millions of individuals have already been vaccinated. Among them are a large number of 23andMe customers who have consented to participate in research. That has allowed our scientists to quickly explore how genetics plays a role in both the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-021-00854-7">susceptibility and severity of COVID-19</a>. We’ve also looked at other aspects of the pandemic like its impact on <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/covid-impact-on-sleep/">sleep</a>, <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/stepping-back-up-amid-covid-19/">physical activity</a>, and how it has <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/impact-disparities-of-covid-19/">hit some communities harder than others</a>. In this latest study, we looked at the factors associated with “reactogenicity”, or how noticeable a person’s response was to the vaccine. Some reported feeling nothing at all while others reported feeling very ill. This gave our scientists the data needed to study whether genetics could explain those differences.
To do that we conducted a genome-wide association study looking at these different responses to the vaccine between those who described feeling “Not at all sick” to those who felt “Extremely sick.”
<h6>Genetic Associations</h6>
We found a strong association between variations in the HLA genes — the human leukocyte antigen complex which is involved in regulating immune response. These genes encode for a number of proteins that make up the major-histocompatibility complex, which is on the frontline of your immune system&#8217;s infection recognition system. These results show that variations in the HLA complex are related to the degree to which one feels ill after vaccination.
First, it’s helpful to understand a bit about how vaccines work. These vaccines teach your immune system to recognize and respond to the virus that causes COVID-19. The mRNA vaccines (e.g. Pfizer/BioNTech &amp; Moderna) introduce genetic instructions to make a harmless protein that is unique to the virus. The other most common vaccine in circulation is the Johnson &amp; Johnson/Jansen vaccine, which uses a viral vector encoding the spike protein. In all three of these vaccines, your immune system develops a response to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, so your immune system can recognize the virus faster if you become exposed and eliminate it before you become severely ill.
<h6>Immune Response</h6>
Given how the vaccines work, why would we expect the HLA to be involved? The primary function of HLA molecules is to present foreign antigens on the cell surface in order to elicit an immune response. As such, the HLA plays a key role in presenting the proteins derived from the vaccine to the immune system.
But why do some people feel very sick from their COVID-19 vaccine, and others don’t feel sick at all?
Our findings suggest that prior history of COVID-19, younger age, female sex, and the type of HLA alleles you carry are strong predictors. Note that in the below table effect sizes below 1.0 decrease the likelihood of a reaction to the vaccine and the ones above 1.0 increase the likelihood (all reported effect sizes are statistically significant after correction for multiple tests).

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1008" height="368" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/HLA-Alleles-React.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29352" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/HLA-Alleles-React.jpg 1008w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/HLA-Alleles-React-300x110.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/HLA-Alleles-React-768x280.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/HLA-Alleles-React-880x321.jpg 880w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1008px) 100vw, 1008px" /></figure>
 
<h6>Long-haulers</h6>
Other studies have also found variation among populations for other alleles within the HLA that are associated with the severity of COVID-19. So for example, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/tan.14284">a recent study</a> by researchers at the Translational and Clinical Research Institute within Newcastle University found that an allele protective against severe COVID-19 symptoms in the HLA gene, at HLA-DRB1*04:01, was found at much higher frequency in people of Northwestern European ancestry. (Other studies have also found a genetic link to susceptibility to <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/study-on-pneumonia">pneumonia</a>, also linked to genes associated with immune response.)
23andMe’s data on genetic associations related to different reactions to the vaccine offers other clues about the complexity of COVID-19. It is part of our on-going work to better understand the virus and the best approaches to fight it. Along with the workaround how genetic differences in immune response and blood type may play a role, our researchers are studying the long-term effects of the virus. We hope to look at so-called COVID-19 long-haulers to determine whether genetics can also explain why some individuals suffer health effects from the virus for weeks, months, and longer.
For more, you can go to our COVID-19 Information Center <a href="https://you.23andme.com/covid19-study/">here</a>.
<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, 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

Janie Shelton

The Genetics of Reactions to COVID-19 Vaccines

We’re excited to share our refreshed <a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/consent/">Research Consent document</a> that governs how 23andMe conducts Research. Although we have not changed our research program or how we use participants&#8217; data, we reorganized the content of the Research Consent and greatly simplified the language. We made these updates for two reasons:
<h6>To be in compliance with updated research regulations: <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-28236 size-medium" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 270w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 192w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 32w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></h6>
Our revisions align with updates to a federal regulation known as the Common Rule, which governs how human subjects research is conducted in the United States. The updated Common Rule aims to make consents more clear and easier to read, and to better help people make decisions about research participation. Our revised Research Consent is in compliance with the current version of the Common Rule.
<h6>To respond to customer feedback:</h6>
We recently asked our customers for feedback on our Research Consent. Based on their feedback we made the following changes:
<ol>
<li aria-level="1">We shortened the Key Information Summary at the top of the document.</li>
<li aria-level="1">We highlighted topics most important to our customers in the Key Information Summary&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">We simplified the language throughout the Research Consent.&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">We added detailed information about how participant data contributes to 23andMe Research.</li>
</ol>
If you look at the new consent, you may notice the updated Key Information Summary, the more concise and simple language, and the real-world examples of research discoveries made possible by participants who shared their information. We believe that the new version will enable our customers to more easily find information that may help them decide whether or not to participate in 23andMe Research.
We hope you see these changes as improvements and can find within the document the answers to your questions about 23andMe Research.
If you have questions about these revisions you can contact the 23andMe Research Team at <a href="mailto:hpa@23andMe.com">hpa@23andMe.com</a>.

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