FREE DNA Test (Join Genes For Good Research Study)
Want to score a free DNA test?
For a limited time, head here, join the University of Michigan Genes for Good program (note that Facebook is required), complete 15 Health History Surveys and 20 of the Health Tracking Surveys and you will qualify for a free spit kit. After providing a saliva sample, you will receive the results of your DNA test for free.
To participate, you must be 18 years old, reside in the US at least part time, and have a Facebook account. Head here for more information or to sign up!
What is Genes For Good?
The Genes for Good research study is a way to collect information for research. By generating and analyzing an enormous database of health and genetic information, they can work towards cures and treatments for cancer, diabetes, migraines and more. This research will provide valuable biological insight into the causes of common diseases.
(Thanks, Free Stuff Times!)
I’m interested! But will it give me the results for my ancestry too? Or just scientific study of their surveys + DNA? Thanks!
It appears that the results will be health related. Here is what the details list – “your information will be entered into a research database where it can help us understand the links between different aspects of health, behavior and environment”. Hope this helps!
Oh ok. It still a good cause. Thanks Collin!
YW!
You fancy upload the results to a some Ancestry sites. I don’t know how but others have done it.
What information is in the results?
This study appears to be focusing on your health and how it is effected by your behavior and environment. Hope this helps!
I found this on their website –
Once we’ve extracted the DNA from your saliva sample, we’ll have a lot to share with you!
We’re very grateful for every participant in this important health research, since it takes many thousands of people to generate enough data to do genetic studies. Though our research projects will take several years, we want you to get back some interesting information about yourself in the meantime!
It is voluntary to provide a saliva sample, but rest assured that we take privacy issues around sensitive health and genetic information very seriously. If you are willing, we will send you a spit-kit free of charge and return the following information directly to you:
1. You’ll be able to learn about your genetic ancestry. We have the tools to give you information about what proportions of which ancestries are suggested by your DNA. In our first version we are looking at seven geographic regions. Below is an example of one way we’ll plot information – and, don’t worry, we’ll help you interpret it!
2. Although research studies traditionally have not returned raw genetic information to participants, we believe you have the right to your information. So, if you want to, you will be able to download your raw genetic results to do with as you choose. These are files with the list of about 500,000 positions of your DNA (your genotypes) directly measured by Genes for Good. The genotypes are quality-controlled but we make no attempt to interpret your genotypes. For example, we do not attempt to figure out which genotypes may carry disease risk. In addition we will also return files of you imputed genotypes. That means we estimate genotypes at an additional 7 million positions by comparing your directly measured genotypes to a set of 2,500 people whose genotypes have already been determined, and filling in the best guesses for the DNA bases we did not directly measure. Because these files contain imputed and not directly measured genotypes, there is a greater chance of errors in these files.
So you get some ancestry results and your raw genome data which us, normal people, won’t be able to interpret….
Thanks Liz for the info!
What do i need to do to participate and recieve the free spit kit determining my ancestry as explained in this portion of your response
“If you are willing, we will send you a spit-kit free of charge and return the following information directly to you:
1. You’ll be able to learn about your genetic ancestry. We have the tools to give you information about what proportions of which ancestries are suggested by your DNA.”
Hi – I am writing on behalf of the Genes for Good administration team and want to clarify that as a research study, we are not permitted to return health information such as disease risk or carrier status. We are a research study collecting genetic and survey data to research various diseases on a population level. We will also use your genetic data to estimate your ancestry. You will have the option to download your raw, uninterpreted genetic data should you wish to upload it to other sites, but we cannot interpret your data for you on an individual level. Please feel free to contact us at our email address, genesforgood at umich dot edu, with questions.
Thanks for clarifying Anita!
I have done this. The results are very vague unless you know what to do with the raw data… which I haven’t taken the time to research how to handle that yet. I am sure it can be informative, but you will have to do some work.
Thanks for the feedback Krista!
Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
Careful. Protect your privacy and your genetic information. Assume it can be searched by the government, the courts.
Thanks! I think you maybe right.
Once you receive your results, you can also upload the raw data into promethease.com for a personal DNA report for $5. Just some more info for anyone interested!
Thanks Sarah for the info!
I was going to recommend promethease as well. Takes awhile to sort through results but well worth the $5.
The one thing I’d check for before doing this is if this company is going to sell access to their data down the road…and if you’re ok with others financially profiting off your DNA information. Though all of our health insurance claims data is already being sold for a pretty penny anyway…
It’s not a company – this is a research study by the University of Michigan. They seem to have covered their bases for privacy as well: https://genesforgood.sph.umich.edu/faq
Another factor:
You Might Not Want to Get a Genetic Test If You Want Life Insurance
https://lifehacker.com/you-might-not-want-to-get-a-genetic-test-if-you-want-li-1760647107
If you are interested in bring part of a research study, check with a medical school/hospital that does clinical trials.
This study is being done by the UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. This IS a school that does medical research. A more important factor is whether this information will be part of a public DNA database or a private one.
“48 HOURS” Investigates “The DNA of a Killer” about the death of Angie Dodge, and the “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” biopic illustrate how studies like this can harm individuals while aiding the greater scientific community. And, as Serena points out, it can impact your financial life as well.
More info on the “48 Hours” episode https://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-news/releases/view?id=47531.
The Heririetta Lacks biography and the Oprah produced movie (available for streaming via Amazon) are both interesting though tragic.
Fb link broken.
It is still working for me, be sure to try a different browser or hop on a desktop if possible. Hope this helps!
This kind of stuff makes me uneasy. It’s cool but as the old saying goes “if you’re not paying for it you become the product.”
I’ve never thought of it like that, but I love that saying!
Haha. I work in IT. It’s a pretty popular phrase. It’s kind of like “there’s no such thing as a free lunch.”
You pay for the other DNA services, and they can sell your DNA as well… at least this group does it for free.
Can’t get the FB link to work. Darm! 🙁
Hmm, are you by chance on a mobile device? I am finding the Facebook link to work for me as I click through.
Can’t get in to fb
Bummer! I find it to be working for me now as I click through if you wanted to check again!
How do we know what the dna is really for? Facebook already sells our info for profit, now they partnered with a university to supposedly do research but they don’t specify what exactly. Next thing you know they will be offering to insert a chip into everyone’s skin and people voluntarily do it.
I have a rare issue. Been sick all my life. Was referred to use UofM for research genetic testing. What is the difference in using the Genes for Good program or contacting the university personally. I am needing disease diagnostic information. Any thoughts before I commit. The research on all of this has me upside down and cannot comprehend anyways. Ideas please. Jill
From what I’ve read this study doesn’t interpret disease results-if you’ve been referred for genetic testing I’d think you should see a specialist that is specifically looking at your information. That way they can make further recommendations for your care based on the results.
They tell you exactly what they do with your information. They even tell you your identity is completely anonymous. Of course this is the digital age, so if someone were to hack and steal all their data, that’s something different. Maybe you should try reading their website carefully?
Its not hard to find out how to upload raw data, to me that’s already 100x better than some other sites. I get ALL of my genetic information FOR FREE, that is much more valuable than just knowing my ancestry to me because I can actually use my own raw genetic information how I want and actually upload to existing databases that analyzes my own SNP data against all known genetic research.
A few minutes of research in how to use raw genetic information that you got for free is better than paying $100-200 for an estimate of your ancestry. To me anyway. I don’t mind a little work for a bigger reward.
How will I know my results are done and how do I find them
i already know im a carrier of cystic fibrosis will this help me