How much does a DNA test cost?
The answer to the question ‘How much does a DNA test cost?' depends on the type of DNA test you order. There are DNA tests that focus on kinship, DNA tests that focus on ancestry and DNA tests that focus on health.
As a rule, a test that focuses on ancestry is cheaper than a DNA test that focuses on kinship or health.
Are you considering buying a DNA test that focuses on health? Then you receive information about your personal risk of certain hereditary conditions, based on your genes. Some DNA health tests also give information about a healthy lifestyle in addition, again based on your genes. The prices of a DNA test focused on health vary by provider, but can rise to € 1,035.
At iGene, a DNA test that gives information about your risk of conditions costs €339. For this amount you not only receive information about your individual predisposition to various hereditary conditions, but also personalised lifestyle advice with which you can reduce the likelihood of these. In addition, the iGene Passport also includes a so-called pharmacogenetic passport, with information about your sensitivity to medicines.
An advantage of a DNA test that focuses on health is that you can use the results to bring about behavioural change aimed at prevention. Many people therefore see such a DNA test as an investment in staying healthy for longer and avoiding high healthcare costs.
Still in doubt about buying a DNA kit? At iGene you can now also download a free demo to find out whether a DNA test is right for you.
How much does a DNA test focused on kinship cost?
The best-known variant of a DNA test that focuses on kinship analysis is the paternity test. A paternity test can establish whether someone is the father of a child.
Besides the paternity test, there are also the lesser-known maternity tests, sibling tests, grandparent tests and even prenatal paternity tests. When requesting a kinship test you can often indicate whether the test is intended only for your own peace of mind, or whether the test result is to (be able to) provide legal recognition of the kinship.
In the Netherlands you can get a paternity test from about € 185, but this amount quickly rises if you also want legal recognition. A prenatal paternity test can cost as much as € 1,249. Other kinship tests usually fall between these two amounts in terms of cost.
How much does a DNA test focused on ancestry cost?
With a DNA test that focuses on ancestry, you can get an indication of the region where your ancestors (probably) come from. This type of DNA test is generally cheaper than the other tests. Such a DNA test usually costs between €50 and €200. But note: sometimes subscription costs are added on top, which can vary from €80 to as much as €350 per year.
Clinical DNA tests
Besides the DNA tests that you can carry out yourself at home, there is also DNA testing for hereditary conditions that is carried out by clinical geneticists. The question ‘How much does a DNA test cost?’ is less relevant in that case, because this is a completely different type of test. For example, a clinical DNA test is usually based on a medical indication, the test is carried out in a hospital, and the costs are often (partly) reimbursed by a health insurer.
Important to watch out for: how do providers handle your privacy?
Not all providers apply the same privacy guidelines. So check carefully that a provider does not use your DNA data for purposes other than the ones you want. If the price of a test is very low, it is all the more important to pay attention to this.
Also always check whether the provider of a DNA test secures your DNA data well and anonymously and does not simply share this information with third parties. Does a test cost just a few tenners? Then it is possible that you are paying not only with money, but also with your privacy…