DNA Testing Companies - DNA Services of America and Salugen

by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei
Posted May 21, 2007 in DNA Products, DNA Testing

I’ve been writing about genetics and DNA for over two years and have reviewed a number of companies that offer DNA tests. Still, I’m constantly amazed at how many companies serve the genetic testing market. Today, I discovered two (new to me) companies - DNA Services of America and Salugen.

Unlike most companies offering direct-to-consumer genetic testing solely in the online setting, DNA Services of America positions itself as “local DNA experts in their respective communities.” They have service centers where people can drop by to submit DNA samples on the spot. And they even have mobile services in some locations as well as weekend and after hours appointments. Unfortunately, it looks as if their service centers are few and far in between. I clicked on my home state of California and got three locations all in Southern California (I’m from Northern), Texas had one center in Houston, Maryland had none listed, nor did Washington or Michigan.

Paternity testing is the most popular product offered by DNA Services and they offer a range including:

• Home Test where it’s just the family who knows what’s going on.
• Peace of Mind, which is also anonymous but involves a “disinterested third party” who collects the DNA samples so no funny business can go on.
• Legally Admissible Test that follows “chain-of-custody” collection methods for legal admissibility.

Other DNA services offered by DNA Services of America include family relationship testing, DNA storage, forensic DNA (not sure how private citizens can utilize this), infidelity testing, and other detection services for auto accidents (?!), etc.

DNA Services of America came on my radar today when I saw a press release announcing their partnership with Salugen. They will be distributing Salugen’s “nutritional gene testing and DNA-customized nutritional solutions.”

Salugen markets the following Made for Me products:

• Genoflex Joint Health for joint health, function, and cartilage support
• GenoTrim for weight management and body recomposition (REcomposition?!)
• SpaGen for overall wellness, which was previously available only through spas

I tried to find a list of the genetic variants Salugen examines in order to create a genetic profile for their customers but not only are specific genes not listed, sample results packages are also not available on their website. How do consumers know the genetic profile they’re given isn’t somehow being tweaked to sell them a nutritional supplement? And if nutritional supplements are involved, do you have to take the formula they sell or can you pop down to the nearest drugstore and buy something off the shelf?

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to know more about your DNA and your genes. It’s what you do with that information that counts. As with anything in life, don’t dispense with your common sense and caveat emptor - buyer beware.

Update: Don’t miss the comments about Salugen over at the Houston Chronicle’s SciGuy.

Disclosure: I am currently a consultant for DNA Direct.

Tags: nutrigenomics, nutritional genetics, nutrigenetics, dna services of america, salugen, genetics, genes, dna, genome, genomics, paternity test, dna test, genetic testing

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10 Comments »

Comment by Peggy

2007-05-21 20:00:46

Maybe I’m just a cynic, but I’d bet that for every person who gets their DNA profiled, Salugen will have the “perfect” nutritional supplement (if you read their product page, they make it sound as if they are testing for known metabolic disorders that would affect a relatively small number of people). I’m skeptical that this has any basis in real science, and makes DNA Services sound shady by association.

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Comment by Hsien

2007-05-21 23:21:09

Peggy, Did you catch this part? It make me laugh.

By applying 6000 evidence-based rules to information collected from a health and wellness profile, as well as the results of your genetic test, we are able to create a one-of-a-kind supplement to promote overall tissue, organ, skeletal and systemic wellness.

Only 6,000? Why not 8,000?

Watch them come bash me.

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Comment by Brian Meshkin

2007-07-16 15:33:29

Dear Peggy and Hsien -

I would like to reply to your suggestion “Did you catch this part? It make me laugh… Only 6,000? Why not 8,000?”

Despite the poor grammar and the hyperbole, you actually raise a great question. The text you are referring to actually applies to our SpaGen product. The questionnaire and DNA analysis, supported by 6,000 evidence-based rules, was developed and is supervised by board-licensed physicians and pharmacists. It has passed due diligence with Caremark - the nation’s largest pharmacy-benefits manager who is responsible for most prescriptions dispensed in the United States - over 1 billion annually. They current intend to use it to guide the nutritional supplementation of their 96,000 full-time employees. And Caremark is exploring other options for the questionnaire as well. It may make you laugh, or even Peggy, but your laughter is based more on your opinion rather than the facts. Rather than opinion, the facts about Salugen make the nation’s largest and most credible company dispensing prescriptions take note and actually use our SpaGen questionnaire to guide nutritional supplementation in a scientific, evidence-based fashion.

So, I know I asked for an interview opportunity before, figuring that you would interested in the facts. I hope that you are still interested in facts, instead of inaccurate grammar and ridiculous hyperbole and conjecture that is not based upon evidence.

I hope you do not consider this a “bash”, as Salugen does not need to bash as we are based upon evidence. But I was wondering if your statement could be considered so? Thanks for the chance to respond.

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Comment by Hsien

2007-07-16 16:19:08

Brian, There’s no need to be rude about a typo. I did have every intention of conducting an interview with you but not if it’s hostile. You are, however, welcome to state your “facts” here as often as you’d like.

 

Comment by Hsien

2007-07-16 16:20:57

May I also add that you made your share of typos in your comments but I won’t be pointing them out as they’re not germane to the discussion at hand.

 

Comment by Brian Meshkin

2007-07-23 05:40:35

Dear Hsien - I apologize for anything that I said in my response that was rude. I look forward to your interview. Sincere regards, Brian.

 

Reply here

 

 

Comment by Tiffany

2007-07-02 22:12:50

I am a new employee of DNA Services of America, and I can already tell you that there is no company with greater ethics. The Salugen/DNASOA partnership would have been achieved through workings from both sides. I know the upper management of DNASOA would never allow the partnership if Salugen was going to do anything unethical or shady.

They are testing for 5 different genetic markers that may give you a propensity toward obesity. If you do not have one of the markers, unfortunately, it is not a genetic problem that you are suffering from. Therefore, Salugen and DNASOA would not have anything to offer.

DNASOA is a relatively new company, and we are still trying to build new relationships, and offices in wider areas. They would never create a relationship that would jeopardize the future of the company.

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Comment by Hsien

2007-07-02 22:29:54

Hi Tiffany,

Thanks for your comment. You stated that if a person does not have one of the markers included in the Salugen test then s/he would not have a “genetic problem.” I’m not sure what your background is in genetics, but it is highly likely that more than five gene variants are involved in the etiology of obesity.

And may I say that it is probably fortunate rather than unfortunate if a person’s obesity is caused more by environment than by genes. Lifestyle factors and other environmental contributions are far easier to manipulate than genes at this point in time.

I’m glad you are so confident in Salugen and DNASOA. I’ll be interviewing Salugen CEO Brian Meshkin soon and will be in touch to see if anyone at DNASOA would do an interview with me as well.

Thanks again,
Hsien

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Pingback by Autism Vox » A Blood Test, Bioscience, and a Business Plan

2007-05-23 02:58:54

[...] out there for genetic tests, and my friend Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei reviews some of these tests on Eye on DNA. The tests in particular are offered by DNA Services of America, which has recently partnered with [...]

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Pingback by Eye on DNA Links - May 29, 2007 — Eye on DNA

2007-05-29 10:22:54

[...] at From Medskool is hosting this week’s Memorial Day issue of Grand Rounds and included my analysis of the partnership between DNA Services of America and Salugen. (Colin also made the clever sketch you see above and there’s more at Grand [...]

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