You might be inclined to utilise a DNA testing kit that was gifted to you, or you might just be itching to uncover your ancestral roots. However, the process, which involves spitting into a vial and submitting your DNA to an extensive database, might yield startling results.
Dr Maurice Gleeson, a retired physician and prominent genetic genealogist warns, “Unforeseen discoveries can sometimes be a part of the DNA testing process.” Such unexpected revelations might include the existence of an unfamiliar half-sibling, the presence of a child unknown to the father, or the revelation about being adopted and one’s legal parents not being the biological ones.
Even though the chances of such occurrences are minimal, they are legitimate, according to Gleeson. Those who believe their families would have no such hidden truths may end up astonished. Erroneous swaps at fertility clinics, though considered scarce, have been unveiled via leisure genetic examinations.
“Before deciding on undergoing a commercial DNA examination, one must reflect on these potential risks and evaluate whether they could cope with such unanticipated surprises,” says Gleeson, an Irish native residing in London.
As we share a substantial proportion of our DNA with extended family like first cousins, your DNA results might disclose a surprise that impacts them too. It might be your responsibility to reveal this to them.
Catherine Joyce, who is the assistant director for children at Barnardo’s Ireland, compares the revelation of such knowledge to releasing toothpaste from its tube; it can’t be reversed. Hence, after acquiring the knowledge, one has to grapple with the ensuing ramifications.
The charity provides a post-adoption service and an origins-tracing service. Andrew Walker, the project leader for the post-adoption service, says that they provide support to their clients who use DNA testing companies for information about parents, siblings or other relatives even though they do not necessarily recommend it. Nevertheless, he declared, “We do let our clients know that it is a viable option.”
Walker suggests that adoptees from overseas, particularly those of mixed-race backgrounds, who were adopted by parents of Irish descent as infants, could utilise DNA tracing as a promising lead. It may be especially helpful for those battling insufficient, faked or non-existent records from industrial schools or other adoptive institutions.
Providing advice, Barnardo’s emphasises the potential for various outcomes, informs Walker. This can range from fruitless efforts to discovering distressing personal history, and even establishing immediate close-relative matches. Consequently, emotional readiness is crucial – suddenly finding siblings, birth parents or other close relatives just a click or two away might be unexpected.
Exploring DNA tracing options can result in a sensation of losing control over the broad scale of available information, suggests Joyce. This could be startling compared to old-school paper files. Many, however, have found it beneficial while others should be aware that the results might not always be positive or negative.
Claire Bradley, a Dublin-based genealogist who uses DNA to help people research their ancestry, recommends the practice, insisting its advantages surpass potential worries. One frequent scenario involves someone discovering – often post their father’s demise – that the man they called ‘dad’ was actually their stepfather. That person (who may reside in the UK or the US) might then turn to an Irish genealogist to help find their biological father, especially if their ethnicity shows strong Irish roots.
However, luck plays a part – successful matches typically occur if the individual’s relatives have also submitted their DNA to the same databank. The five principal global companies are estimated to hold around 50 million DNA profiles, 50% of which are contained by Ancestry. But, given that people might use multiple companies, Gleeson estimates the actual individual count might be nearer to 40 million.
We inherit half of our genetic material from each parent, therefore, someone who was adopted can tell if they’ve discovered a birth parent or perhaps a full sibling, if they have a fifty per cent DNA match with them. Whereas, with other relationships, including half-siblings, it makes sense that the percentage of shared DNA changes, with twenty-five per cent being the average shared DNA with half-siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nephews and nieces, and twelve and a half per cent with a first cousin. The revelation of a high match can surprise and even alarm individuals, according to Bradley.
Bradley assisted a woman who was adopted in Britain but aware that her biological parents were Irish, to connect with a high match from a DNA database. Upon connecting with the match, who happened to be a young lady in her twenties, Bradley was able to deduce that this individual was probably a niece. The woman was able to aid the search by discussing her extended family, and another family member was willing to provide a DNA sample. The discovered truth was that Bradley’s client was a child her late grandmother gave birth to before marriage, a story that’s quite common in Ireland.
Apart from tracing family history, direct-to-consumer genetic analysis, which reveals an individual’s genetic vulnerability to several health issues like obesity, cancer, and dementia, is becoming increasingly common. Critics of these tests, however, argue that it can be exploitative and question the validity and wisdom of these tests.
Dr Gleeson, a medical professional, sees the potential benefit of this information, as it allows individuals to make educated choices about mitigating risks and managing future healthcare. However, he also warns that the results can easily be misunderstood, and emphasizes the importance of discussing any worries with a GP. He elucidates, for example, that if someone’s results show a forty per cent genetic risk of Alzheimer’s, this equally means a sixty per cent genetic chance of not developing the disease. Furthermore, he pointed out that there are other modifiable non-genetic risk factors for dementia.
“Everyone has an undeniable biological certainty of death, he emphasises. To affirm this, there’s no need to purchase a DIY DNA testing kit. Misuse of DNA information became a substantial concern after a security violation occurred at 23andMe, a genetic testing firm based in California, last year. The issue surfaced when it was revealed that the personal and genetic information of one million Ashkenazi Jewish heritage customers was supposedly available for purchase on the black market online. Hackers exploited victims’ re-used passwords obtained from other data compromises to gain access to private details of approximately 14,000 individuals who used 23andMe. However, due to a feature that lets DNA relatives connect with each other, nearly 7 million people, or just under half of their 14 million recorded clients, were affected. Litigation has ensued.
According to Gleeson, privacy is a major issue, with many individuals opting for aliases or just initials. Alternatively, someone could choose to keep their family tree hidden or disable DNA results, making them viewable to other database users only while being reviewed by the user. Some are concerned about companies selling data for scientific studies, but he emphasises that this is only permitted with the individual’s consent, which many people grant.
Despite the lack of clear guidelines in Ireland for “recreational” genetic testing, France finds this industry problematic. In France, it is prohibited for an individual to provide a DNA sample to a genealogy or health company, and these businesses cannot advertise such services within the country. In France, a genetic test can only take place via a court order or through approved medical and research organisations.”
Switzerland formerly adopted a comparable stance but, facing the constant growth of access to consumer-based genetic testing and personal testing kits, revamped its legislation in 2022 to incorporate these choices. It’s highly unlikely, yet still feasible, for DNA to unmask a felon within the family. Gleeson claims that Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (Figg), a DNA application, is an emerging science which gained notoriety following the ‘Golden State Killer’s’ apprehension in California in 2018. Members of the family of the infamous serial killer and sexual offender, Joseph James DeAngelo, were pinpointed through DNA correlations on genealogical company databases. FamilyTreeDNA and GEDmatch, two online platforms, permit law enforcement agencies to utilise their databases to assist in tracking down severe crime culprits and identifying unnamed human bodies.