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Ancestry DNA Lineage Test & Reliability

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Personal genetic ancestry tests can be purchased online.

Genetic ancestry testing, or lineage testing, is a complicated and controversial subarea of modern biotechnology. This process seeks to determine an individual's geographic origin by comparing his DNA to modern reference samples representing ancient population-migration patterns. While it is an increasingly popular procedure, it is mired in misconception as well as methodology issues and testing variances. The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) Ancestry and Ancestry Testing Task Force questions the reliability of current ancestral interpretation.

  1. Public Misconceptions

    • There is a popular misconception that genetic ancestry testing can conclusively determine such personal issues as heritage, citizenship or medical profiles. Due to a broad margin of statistical error and lack of consistent legal precedent, test results are not conclusively reliable.

    Methodology Issues

    • Because existing genetic reference databases provide a statistically smaller sample than normally acceptable in scientific research, and because ancestral populations cannot be tested for cross-reference, what is presented as ancestral lineage can be inconclusive or erroneous.

    Testing Variances

    • Current testing methods analyze different genetic markers and variants, with each capturing only a portion of the genetic lineage composition. Therefore, each testing method can produce different ancestral interpretations, with a single DNA sample analyzed by three different methods likely suggesting three different lineages.

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