First 23andMe laid off 14% of its staff. Now comes word industry leader Ancestry is similarly giving about a hundred workers the heave-ho.
A look back, and ahead, at the latest California business news.These have been rough days for the DNA-testing business — an industry that sprang up seemingly overnight with promises of helping customers track down long-lost relatives or ancestors, or even spot a hereditary disease before symptoms arise. Millions of people have submitted saliva samples to see what might turn up.
Which is to say, pretty much everyone who wanted to give home DNA testing a try has done so, and the company is having a hard time winning over new customers. Such concerns have risen since law enforcement officials figured out they could solve cold cases by tracking down suspects through the DNA tests of relatives.
I’ll admit these tests can be fun. I did it and found that I’m 72.3% of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. I also learned I’m apparently 11.3% Scandinavian, 7.8% Spanish or Portuguese, and 3.1% Italian, which was news to both me and my parents.There’s entertainment value in products such as this, but experts say you shouldn’t base medical decisions on the findings of home DNA tests. Always speak with your doctor before any such moves.
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