Collecting Your DNA Sample
Once you’ve had a pretest genetic counseling session with your doctor and they’ve determined the most appropriate genetic test for you, your doctor will obtain the necessary sample. This might be either blood or saliva, but the process to collect either is mostly pain-free and noninvasive.
How Fast do the Results Come Back?
It isn’t stated how long each assessment will take to come back, and the length of time varies from test to test. You’ll be able to determine this before you apply, however, but you’ll need a Centogene account.
What do the Results Include?
This will depend on which test you've undertaken, but the results should always be comprehensive and easy-to-understand, and your doctor will discuss them with you.
How Does Centogene Protect Your Privacy?
Federal laws in place ensure the privacy and security of any information that you share with this provider, and mean there’s no chance that any given data will be used maliciously, or sent to any third parties.
Matching With Relatives
These tests are all intended to be used for medical reasons, such as prevention and diagnosis. Your DNA won’t be stored, and there’s no way to check it against other patients’ samples.
Centogene’s Prices and Details
For a more detailed rundown of each test, what they entail, and the costs, you’ll need to create an account with Centogene or discuss this with your doctor. It is mentioned that most insurance providers cover genetic testing services, but that each situation is unique.
Summary
There are some excellent uses for Centogene’s tests, and the results even have the potential to save lives! If your doctor recommends that you take one of these tests, it would be highly advisable that you do this. However, there’s little reason to carry out one of these assessments on a whim.
If you were hoping to assess your DNA for fun and learn generic traits about yourself, rather than diagnose specific diseases, you’d be better off trying somewhere like Full Genomes. This organization offers DNA testing to understand more about yourself and your ancestry.