Watershed DNA’s founder Brianne Kirkpatrick shares on the blog of 23andMe some tips for healthcare providers about what to do with a patient’s unexpected DNA family discovery.

DNA tests come in many varieties and sizes. 23andMe’s test comes in three versions, and beyond that you can find other tests that might tell you things 23andMe’s genotype analysis does not.

I've gotten some questions about how to approach an unexpected DNA match and try to open up the lines for communication. I've posted some draft language here for you to get a sense of what I've written or advised other people to write in the past.

There are four other types of sibling relationships with variations of DNA sharing.

Pharmacogenomics is an area of genetics focused on understanding how our unique genetic code determines how we might respond to certain medications.

From the bravely-shared experiences of both Eden and Michelle, we learn about the tugging and pulling of loyalties to parents and siblings, the deeply-entrenched love and the desire for protection of the hearts of the ones most dear, and the unclear path forward when secrets long-hidden are suddenly and unexpectedly revealed.

Do you know or belong to a group who might like to have a certified genetic counselor speak about 23andMe or another particular topic related to at-home genetic testing?

Panic doesn’t have to be part of the equation if you find out you have an elevated risk of developing alzheimer’s disease.

With the growth of tests like those from Ancestry and 23andMe, questions naturally arise. These tests promise to connect people to unknown genetic relatives, reveal ethnic background, and possibly uncover latent health factors.

23andMe now provides FDA-approved reports on Parkinson's disease risk, and I thought readers could benefit from a post specific to the condition. This guest post was written by my friend and former colleague, Lola Cook Shukla, who specializes in the genetics of Parkinson's disease.

Fighting the urge to find out your APOE status from a 23andMe genetic risk report is impossible for some. Even with multiple layers of warnings a customer goes through to be able to view the report, it's easy to click boxes and breeze through to your report in less than a minute.

Jamie is a board certified and licensed genetic counselor. She provides genetic counseling to people and families with or at risk for inherited neurodegenerative disease, including Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, prion disease, Huntington’s disease, amytrophic lateral sclerosis, and ataxia.

If you ordered a 23andMe test that includes the FDA-approved health reports, and you haven't opened them up to look yet, you need to. Here's why!