What to consider before ordering a home genetic test kit

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- People who are concerned about the risk of inheriting a disease are now taking home genetic tests, but some experts say people should be wary of them.

Doctor's say the results can easily be misinterpreted. Also, some kits only report limited information on health conditions and often don't provide the full picture of disease risk.

"Many of them don't test every single gene, although they claim to. Some of them actually just look at certain spots, so you can be either falsely alarmed or falsely lulled into complacency and thats never good," said Dr. Charis Eng.

Dr. Eng suggests taking the test and then meeting with a genetic counselor. They can explain the pros and cons of testing and talk through potential results and what they mean.

The counselor can also analyze family history to determine if more extensive testing is necessary.

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