The new MyHeritage DNA Health+Ancestry test provides comprehensive
health reports for conditions affected by genetics including
heart disease, breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease
TEL AVIV, Israel & LEHI, Utah–(BUSINESS WIRE)–lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/dna?src=hash” target=”_blank”gt;#dnalt;/agt;–MyHeritage, the leading global service for family history and DNA
testing, announced today a major expansion of its DNA product line with
the launch of the MyHeritage DNA Health+Ancestry test. The test provides
a new dimension of genetic insight with comprehensive health reports
that can empower future health and lifestyle choices. It is a superset
of the current MyHeritage DNA Ancestry-Only test, and includes its
pillar features: a percentage breakdown of ethnic origins and matching
to relatives through shared DNA. MyHeritage is now the only global
consumer DNA company to offer an extensive health and ancestry product
in over 40 languages.
The launch of the Health+Ancestry product distinguishes MyHeritage as
the only major service that bridges consumers’ past, present, and
future: MyHeritage’s integrated suite of products enable users to
discover their family history and ethnic origins, find new relatives,
and receive valuable insights to help manage choices regarding their
health that may impact their future well-being.
“Our Health+Ancestry test is the next step in the evolution of
MyHeritage. After 16 years of changing lives for the better through
family history research and genetic genealogy, we are excited to expand
our mission and try to improve and save lives as well. Our vision is to
integrate our successful family history technologies with the new health
product in innovative ways that bridge heritage and heredity to deliver
deeper insights for our users,” said Gilad Japhet, founder and CEO of
MyHeritage. “We are proud to be part of a movement to democratize
healthcare globally and make genetic testing accessible to millions of
people, and allow them to discover what makes them unique.”
The MyHeritage DNA Health+Ancestry test provides health reports that
show users their risk of developing or carrying genetic conditions.
Reports include conditions where specific genes contribute to the risk,
such as hereditary breast cancer, late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, and
late-onset Parkinson’s disease; conditions associated with multiple
genes, such as heart disease, and type 2 diabetes; and carrier status
reports on conditions that can be passed down from a couple to their
children, such as Tay-Sachs disease and cystic fibrosis.
In total, MyHeritage’s Health+Ancestry test covers one of the most
extensive ranges of conditions offered by an at-home DNA test: 11
Genetic Risk Reports, including a hereditary breast cancer (BRCA) report
that tests 10 pathogenic variants; 3 Polygenic Risk Reports; and 15
Carrier Status Reports.
The World Health Organization identifies cardiovascular disease as the
number one cause of death globally. This makes MyHeritage’s unique
report for heart disease risk particularly beneficial. This report is
based on a cutting-edge method called Polygenic Risk Score that examines
hundreds, and in some cases thousands of variants across the entire
genome.
In addition to heart disease, the Health+Ancestry product also includes
a Polygenic Risk Score for type 2 diabetes, a condition that has
significantly increased in prevalence in recent decades and now affects
hundreds of millions of people worldwide and 40% of Americans within
their lifetime. MyHeritage is also unique in providing a third Polygenic
Risk Score for breast cancer, which delivers a risk assessment for
breast cancer when none of the BRCA variants that MyHeritage tests for
are found. MyHeritage is currently the only major home DNA testing
company to offer Polygenic Risk Reports for multiple conditions, and
more Polygenic Risk Reports will be added shortly after the product’s
initial release. The three initial Polygenic Risk Reports support only
populations with European ancestry, but the company has begun conducting
research to allow the polygenic reports to cover a broader spectrum of
populations in the future.
The new product is based on robust scientific research conducted by the
MyHeritage science team led by MyHeritage’s Chief Science Officer, Dr.
Yaniv Erlich. It has been in development for two years and leverages the
company’s growing expertise in genomics. MyHeritage’s prowess in the
field of consumer genetics has led to the growth of its DNA database to
3 million people in under two and a half years. To balance the needs of
genetic genealogy and health testing, MyHeritage has custom-designed a
new DNA chip using Illumina’s Global Screening Array (GSA). The new chip
provides MyHeritage with the flexibility to add reports for more
conditions, without the need for users to retest their DNA. Several new
health reports are already in the pipeline for release over the coming
months following the company’s rigorous validation processes.
MyHeritage DNA Health+Ancestry is a Laboratory Developed Test, processed
in a CLIA certified and CAP accredited DNA lab in Texas. The at-home DNA
test is an easy and painless cheek swab, and does not require spitting
as some other tests do, which makes it more suitable and convenient for
all populations, including older people.
Health reports only determine users’ genetic risk for the supported
conditions. However, all users are required to complete a personal and
family health history questionnaire, to ensure that each user receives
the reports appropriate for them. MyHeritage works with PWNHealth, an
independent physician network and genetic counseling service, to provide
end-to-end physician oversight of the MyHeritage DNA Health+Ancestry
test for all U.S. customers, which includes genetic counseling, if
appropriate. PWNHealth’s physician oversight and genetic counseling fee
is included in the total price.
Privacy is strictly enforced. All health data is protected by
state-of-the-art encryption. Health report data is secured using
additional password protection and is so secure that even MyHeritage
employees cannot access it. MyHeritage has never licensed or sold user
data, and has committed to never do so without obtaining explicit user
consent. MyHeritage is the only consumer DNA company that has pledged to
never sell data to insurance companies. It also applies a strict policy
to prohibit use of its DNA services by law enforcement agencies.
The MyHeritage DNA Health+Ancestry kit is available at the price of $199
+ shipping. Users who have already purchased a MyHeritage DNA test for
ethnicity and genealogy matching can upgrade to receive health reports
for $120. To order, visit the MyHeritage
DNA website. An annual Health subscription is available as an
optional add-on to the new DNA kit, which grants users access to new
health reports as they are released. As a special benefit for the
launch, the Health subscription is currently offered for free for the
first twelve months and users can cancel it anytime.
The new health product is not intended to independently diagnose,
prevent, or treat any disease or condition or tell users anything about
their current state of health in the absence of medical and clinical
information. The product is also not intended for making medical
decisions, including prescription or dosing of medications. Users may
need to obtain further services from their physician, a genetic
counselor, or other healthcare provider, in order to obtain diagnostic
results regarding the conditions or diseases indicated within the
MyHeritage DNA health reports. The health reports provide genetic risk
information based on assessment of specific genetic variants but do not
report on users’ entire genetic profile. The health reports do not
detect all genetic variants related to a given disease, and the absence
of a variant tested does not rule out the presence of other genetic
variants that may be related to the disease. For most diseases,
currently known genes are only responsible for a portion of the overall
risk. Other factors such as environment and lifestyle may affect the
risk of developing a given disease and, depending on the condition, may
be more relevant predictors. If a user’s data indicate that the user is
not at elevated genetic risk for a disease or condition, this should not
be interpreted as meaning that the user is safe from developing the
disease or condition. The opposite is also true; if a user’s data
indicates that the user is at an elevated genetic risk for a disease or
condition, it does not mean that the user will definitively develop the
disease or condition. Any findings within the health reports should be
confirmed and supplemented by additional medical and clinical testing as
recommended by the user’s healthcare provider.
MyHeritage DNA Health+Ancestry is available globally except in a few
countries that do not allow health-related consumer genetic testing. In
the USA, it is available in all states except New York, New Jersey, and
Rhode Island, where separate laboratory certifications are required and
are currently being pursued. Altogether, MyHeritage DNA Health+Ancestry
is now the genetic test for health available in the greatest number of
languages and with the widest global reach.
About MyHeritage
MyHeritage is the leading global discovery platform for exploring family
history, uncovering ethnic origins, finding new relatives, and gaining
valuable health insights. With sophisticated matching technologies and
billions of international historical records, MyHeritage empowers users
to build their family trees and make exciting family connections.
MyHeritage’s technologically advanced and affordable product, the
MyHeritage DNA Ancestry-Only test, reveals ethnic origins and finds
relatives with a simple cheek swab. Launched in 2016, MyHeritage DNA has
become one of the world’s largest consumer DNA databases, with 3 million
people. The new MyHeritage DNA Health+Ancestry test adds comprehensive
health reports, some unique to MyHeritage. The test helps people
understand how their genetics may affect their health so they can make
informed choices to improve their future. As the world’s only integrated
service that combines family history and DNA testing for genealogy and
health, MyHeritage is uniquely positioned to offer users a meaningful
discovery experience that unites their past, present, and future.
Available in 42 languages, MyHeritage is home to 103 million registered
users, 45 million family trees, and 9.7 billion historical records.
MyHeritage is the most popular DNA test and family history service in
Europe, and is the presenting partner of the 2019 Eurovision Song
Contest. www.myheritage.com
Contacts
MyHeritage
Aaron Godfrey
VP Marketing
Phone: 917-725-5018
Email:
[email protected]
