Thoughts on Promethease
One of the blogs I read religiously is that of genetic genealogist and lawyer, Judy Russell. Judy recently posted about a genomics health research tool called Promethease. My thoughts are summarized in the comments section of the post.
I am a huge advocate of those who are curious about their DNA. I've explored my DNA myself through a handful of at-home tests, and although I'm a genomics "expert" by profession, I still learn something new every day!
My advice/word of warning before you use a raw DNA data file from an ancestry test or other at-home DNA test kit: make sure you are prepared to understand the results returned by an online tool such as Promethease (and a tool's limitations). There is no independent online tool that I feel is consistently reliable for health purposes at this time. Maybe in the future.
Until then -- and even after then! -- please remember DNA is not destiny!
I’ve written more about Promethease in other blog posts as well as a section in my book The DNA Guide for Adoptees. I hope these resources help you understand the pros and cons of using a raw data file in your search for health information!