Our science

23andMe is the first and only direct-to-consumer DNA test that includes 55+ health reports that meet FDA requirements.

Quality

Our rigorous quality standards:

  • Our Genetic Health Risk* and Carrier Status* reports meet FDA criteria for being scientifically and clinically valid
  • All saliva samples are processed in CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited labs
  • Our DNA collection kit is FDA-cleared for use with our Genetic Health Risk and Carrier Status reports
  • Our kit is manufactured in accordance with FDA's Good Manufacturing Practice regulations
  • Genotyping is a well-established and reliable platform for analyzing DNA
  • Our team of scientists and medical experts uses a robust process to develop reports to ensure validity
  • Ancestry percentages are derived from our powerful, well-tested system that provides you with ancestry estimates down to the 0.1%

Privacy

You are in control. You choose how your personal genetic information is used and shared with others. We tell you how those choices are implemented, and how we collect, use and disclose your information.

  • We will not share your individual-level information to any third party without your explicit consent
  • In accordance with the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), a federal law put in place in 2008 to protect Americans from discrimination based on genetics, we will not give your information or results to health insurance companies or employers
  • We have guidelines and policies in place to protect the personal information of children as well as incapacitated or deceased individuals
  • We do not provide information to law enforcement unless required to comply with a valid subpoena or court order

Learn more about our privacy practices.

DNA Basics

Human DNA is about 99.5% identical from person to person. However, there are small changes that make each person unique. These changes are called variants.

Your DNA was passed down from your parents — and their parents and so on. Variants can be linked to certain health conditions, traits and ancestry groups.

When it comes to your health and traits, your DNA is only part of the story. Other factors can come into play, including non-genetic factors such as your environment and lifestyle.

How your DNA becomes a report

Your saliva contains DNA from cells in your mouth. We send you a saliva collection kit and instructions for providing your sample.

Our CLIA-certified lab extracts DNA from cells in your saliva sample. Then the lab processes the DNA on a genotyping chip that reads hundreds of thousands of locations in your genome.

Your genetic data is analyzed, and we generate your personalized reports based on well-established scientific and medical research.

Our researchers

Here are some of the people behind the science at 23andMe.

The high quality genetic research we do at 23andMe is possible because of our customers who share their data and want to make a difference.

David H., PhD Principal Scientist

I am passionate about genetics because I am fascinated by how humans are different from one another, and what DNA tells us about those differences.

Joanna M., PhD Senior Director of Research

Be curious. Ask questions. The more we understand about our fascinatingly complex selves, the better we can take care of each other and the beautiful world we live in.

Joyce T., PhD VP of Research

Our lab

To ensure quality, your DNA analysis is performed in US laboratories that are certified by CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988) and accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP).

A CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited lab must meet certain quality standards, including qualifications for individuals who perform the test, and other standards that ensure the accuracy and reliability of results.

The analysis we perform is called genotyping. Our genotyping looks at hundreds of thousands of specific locations on your DNA. These locations are known to vary between individuals, and some are associated with certain conditions, traits, or ancestry.

We use leading technology to genotype your DNA—a custom version of the lllumina Global Screening Array.

*The 23andMe PGS test includes health predisposition and carrier status reports. Health predisposition reports include both reports that meet FDA requirements for genetic health risks and the 23andMe Type 2 Diabetes health predisposition report which is based on 23andMe research and has not been reviewed by 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 and reporting carrier status. 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. Our carrier status reports can be used to determine carrier status, but cannot determine if you have two copies of any genetic variant. These carrier reports are not intended to tell you anything about your risk for developing a disease in the future, the health of your fetus, or your newborn child's risk of developing a particular disease later in life. For certain conditions, we provide a single report that includes information on both carrier status and genetic health risk.