How accurate is genotyping?

[MDavis]

I have yet to have this type of testing done, bust as mentioned in another thread, I would love to know more about my heritage and my history. I have not been able to find a statistics rating for any of these services that shows in detail how accurate they are. Is there a way of knowing how accurate this kind of testing is? Does it depend on how the testing is done?

[SammyP]

I think it’s quite hard to tell how accurate they are. Since they collect the data and use it to increase the accuracy, it will depend on the company and how much reference data they have to compare. That also means some demographics of people may receive less accurate DNA tests.

[JasonBlu]

Based on what I read, these types of test pull from prominent genes. This means as the percentages get smaller, there is more likely to be room for error. Either way, I think it is still a fantastic way to learn about your background and what makes you, you.

[MDavis]

Thanks for your answers. I was hoping something like this would be more accurate but the cost seems just too low to believe that is the case. I guess this is a good option for basic knowledge and nothing more.

[markus]

It may not be 100 percent accurate but for sure the margin of error is too small to be counted. That is why I can say that it’s reliable enough.

[Bioinformatician]

@jasonblu: I wonder what you meant by “Based on what I read, these types of test pull from prominent genes. This means as the percentages get smaller, there is more likely to be room for error” What do you call a prominent gene? Which percentages?

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