Monday, November 19, 2007

If I did gifts

What I want for Christmas: Genotype my DNA with 23andMe.

For only $999 and a saliva sample, 23andMe raises the question of how family members will deal with the negative externality of one member's genotype revealing unfavorable information about the whole clan (see Queen Victoria). Of course, there is also the positive externality where, if my parents genotype their secret sauce, my incentive to pay for the service is lowered. I suspect, however, that my father sports ACTN3 is less smiles than my mother carries a mutation of BRCA1 is dread.

Still, I want to do it. Also, it will be a prerequisite for any future mate.