Are genetic tests worth your money? Today we’re taking another dive into genetic testing. These tests, like 23andMe, are all the rage; but what happens when that data is sold to pharmaceutical companies? Let’s discuss implications most don’t think about before they get the test, and some interesting Brave New World ethical conundrums that are arising from knowing the entire genetic code, for tens of millions of us. 
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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

* [01:40] Other people use my genetic information? Big pharmaceutical company Glaxosmithkline partnered with 23andMe to create better drugs, which means they access and own your genetic code
* [02:53] Genetic crime stories, anyone? Crime and court cases are being impacted by our genetic material linking us to locations we’ve been. Sometimes it’s good! Other times, perhaps not.
* [06:43] Your cost, doubled. While on the surface there’s nothing wrong with using DNA to develop medicines, what about ethical problems that arise when this medicine is then sold back to the public at exorbitant rates?
* [09:53] Your (complicated) family tree. Genetic testing helps find long-lost family members, and family members who would rather stay hidden. What are the ethics behind unwilling participants and their privacy?
* [11:32] Our society misrepresented. If the pharmaceutical companies only use data gleaned from people who can afford the test, underprivileged neighborhoods will be left out of the genetic equation. This reinforces the issue of who’s going to get the benefits of mapping the genome.
* [12:24] Pros and Cons in ABC. There are many points on both sides of the genetic aisle, but does one side justify the other? Relief, knowledge, and opportunity compared to anxiety, non-elimination, quality of results, and over-diagnosis.

[Related podcast: Ep. 144: How Much Attention Should We Give Our Genetics? with Dr. Ben Lynch]
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TRANSCRIPT:
[Related episode: Ep. 144: How Much Attention Should We Give Our Genetics? with Dr. Ben Lynch]