What $2500 Can Buy in DNA Services

by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei
Posted April 9, 2008 in DNA Products, DNA Testing

Genetic testing continues to get cheaper but not to the extent where everyone can afford every DNA service they have their heart set on. But that’s life, isn’t it?

My mom used to equate everything with the cost of pizzas as in “this pair of shoes could get you three large pizzas!” In that vein, let’s see how much $2500 can get you in the personal genomics marketplace.

$2500 can buy you:

One Navigenics Health Compass membership - initiation and one year subscription

Ten years of Navigenics annual subscription fees at $250 each year after initial purchase

Two 23andMe accounts at $999 USD each with $502 to spare

Two deCODEme accounts at $985 USD each with $530 to spare

Twelve General Interest Panels of genetic tests from DNA Traits at $199 each with $112 to spare

Seven alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency genetic tests at DNA Direct at $330 each with $190 to spare

0.71% of a $350,000 whole genome sequence from Knome

Two Gene Essence genetic tests from BioMarker Pharmaceuticals at $1195 each with $110 to spare

Two 1-working day express service DNA paternity tests from DNA Diagnostics Center at $995 each with $510 to spare

Sixteen HairDX genetic tests at $149 each with $116 to spare

Eight Suracell “DNA Based Age Management” DNA tests (via Bitar Cosmetic Surgery Institute) at $300 each with $100 to spare

Twelve Advanced Paternal Lineage Test (Y-chromosome 46) from DNA.Ancestry.com at $199 each with $112 to spare

Four DNA11 DNA art portraits at $525 each with $400 to spare.

Of course, looking at price alone isn’t a fair comparison since each company above provides vastly different services and genetic information to their customers from genetic genealogy to art to single disease testing to whole genome sequencing. Cost is a factor, however, in most consumers’ purchasing decisions so it’s interesting to see how prices stack up.

What would you do with $2500?

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12 Comments »

Comment by Kevembuangga

2008-04-09 12:24:50

Might not $2500 in pizzas still have more actual value?

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Comment by Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD

2008-04-09 15:55:33

A cynic, I see!

FYI, I thought the AI in your website’s title, AI Ramblings, stood for “American Idol.” d’oh

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Comment by StevenMurphy MD Subscribed to comments via email

2008-04-09 20:11:40

Speaking of American Idol……I bet the Jewel chick goes tonight…..

As for the 2500 USD. I can’t share Helix’s fees on this blog if god for bid some physicians should see this and then I could go to jail for collusion. How crazy is that? If you would like to know…give us a call.

-Steve
http://www.helixhealth.org

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Comment by NA Subscribed to comments via email

2008-04-10 02:41:30

You have free time to watch American Idol? I should become a doctor.

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Comment by Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD

2008-04-10 10:19:06

Yes, NA, hard to believe people have a LIFE outside of their jobs. I should probably chuck my children out the window because I’m too busy working. And forget about the husband at least he can fend for himself.

(Comments wont nest below this level)

Reply here

Comment by Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD

2008-04-10 10:20:07

What Jewel chick??? Are you equating Kristy Lee Cook with Jewel? I can’t believe it….

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Comment by NA Subscribed to comments via email

2008-04-10 01:49:49

Could purchase about 42 NCAA Football 2009 games when it is released in July. Yes, I play NCAA Football on xbox 360…big deal!

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Comment by Dirk

2008-04-10 03:42:41