PALO ALTO, Calif. - (February 18, 2026) — 23andMe Research Institute today announced the publication of a new study highlighting the positive health actions taken by people who learned of their risk through direct-to-consumer genetic testing.
Published in Genetics in Medicine Open , the study included data from more than 1,000 research-consented 23andMe participants who learned they had an increased genetic risk for serious health conditions such as hereditary cancers and cardiovascular disease.
The researchers aimed to gain a deeper understanding of how people responded to this information, particularly after sharing their results with their primary healthcare providers.
The study found that among those who learned of a serious genetic health risk:
Eighty-two percent had not undergone prior genetic testing for these conditions, despite most (68%) having a relevant personal or family history.
Eighty-six percent of those who shared results with their doctor received medical recommendations to address the risk, which included nearly 1,500 personalized recommendations from early screening to prophylactic surgeries.
Eight-eight percent of the medical recommendations were adhered to by participants.
"This is powerful evidence that direct-to-consumer genetic testing can make a meaningful difference in how healthcare professionals treat their patients, and how important this information can be in people's lives," said Dr. Noura Abul-Husn, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer at the 23andMe Research Institute, and senior author of the study. "Genetic testing can empower individuals with critical health insights, which, when shared with a healthcare professional, can lead to meaningful, life-changing actions."
The findings suggest that many people with a genetic health risk aren't tested for those risks in routine healthcare, even when they have a personal or family history of a condition. Direct-to-consumer genetic testing can serve as a proactive screening tool to help identify individuals at risk who might otherwise go undetected through traditional screening methods.
Notably, the study highlighted that these genetic results spur real-world change. These results often led to healthcare professionals making personalized medical recommendations for their patients. And once doctors gave those medical recommendations, the vast majority of people followed them. Whether it was a recommendation for earlier screenings, medication, or even prophylactic surgery, people listened to their doctors and took action.
While the findings offer strong evidence of the positive impact of direct-to-consumer testing for genetic health risks, they also identify key areas for improvement. For example, less than half of those in the study shared their results with a healthcare professional, highlighting an opportunity to encourage further follow up around actionable genetic information that can be used to guide healthcare decisions. The study also highlighted a need for genetics education among healthcare professionals, especially frontline primary care providers who serve as the cornerstone of preventive health.
Overall, the study suggests that direct-to-consumer testing provides critical, actionable health information for individuals, especially when they share their findings with their healthcare providers.
About 23andMe Research Institute
23andMe Research Institute is a nonprofit medical research organization that enables people everywhere to access their genetic information, learn about themselves and participate in the world’s largest crowdsourced research initiative. The Institute aims to be the world’s most significant contributor to scientific advancement, uniting people with the common goal of improving health and deepening our understanding of DNA — the code of life.
Genetics in Medicine Open
Observational study
People
Health Actions Following Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing for Medically Actionable Conditions
16-Feb-2026
Ethics Statement: 23andMe research participants provided informed consent and volunteered to participate in the research online under a protocol approved by an external AAHRPP-accredited institutional review board (IRB), Ethical & Independent (E&I) Review Services. As of 2022, E&I Review Services is part of Salus IRB (https://www.versiticlinicaltrials.org/salusirb). Conflict of Interest Statement: All authors are current or former employees of 23andMe. N.S.A.-H. holds an academic appointment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and is a member of the clinical advisory board for Inflection Medicine.