Concerns about ancestral DNA testing, by genetics society

Did you know that Angelina Jolie is a distant cousin of Camilla the Duchess, Madonna, Shania Twain AND Hilary Clinton?

Man has an innate itch to find out where he came from, be it by evolution or ancestry. In a way it helps us connect with people from our past and gives us roots. So it’s no surprise that DNA testing for ancestry or population of origin has mushroomed in the past few years with the growth of direct-to-consumer companies.

Now, the American Society of Human Genetics is concerned about the implications of carrying out such tests without guidelines and oversight. The society presented a recommendation paper to the academe, and to the 30 companies involved in ancestral genetics testing.

Image credit: Newscom

Some of those concerns include accuracy of markers used in testing, the methods of interpreting results, the power of the tests, and that there is no quality assurance guarantee in the DTC ancestry industry. Another concern relates to the presence of diseases and other risk factors associated with one’s ancestry and race.

I’m sure there are other means to finding out one’s ancestry with more accuracy, and physical genealogy records may give better, more detailed clues. The ancestral family tree of Angelina Jolie? That was discovered when old Canadian family tree records were published. The report said they all share the same nose. Who knows… you may be related to someone famous too, if you look up old manuscripts, and you don’t need DNA testing for it too.