Futura Genetics DNA Test Review

Posted byfalconercallaghan

Futura Genetics Review 2019 – Will this test show you your future?

  • DNA Test Type: Health and Wellness
  • Time to results: 4 Weeks
  • Starting Price: $375, Less if you already use 23andMe. Includes free shipping.

Pros and Cons

  • The report includes 28 common health issues
  • Free pickup and delivery included in the test cost
  • Easy to read, informative report ready in four weeks
  • The report includes ways to decrease chances of conditions
  • You can upload 23andMe data for a cheaper report
  • Seems expensive when it’s not compared to other tests
  • The site only tests for health and wellness issues
  • Health risks only calculated using Caucasian data

Overview

Should a Futura Genetics DNA test be in your future?

Futura Genetics is a DNA testing company that focuses on Health and Wellness testing. Their cutting edge laboratory and staff have been working in the genetics field for over 15 years. They offer a single product, a test that shows your risk for developing 28 common conditions compared to the risk of the average population. The test is completed by submitting a sample of your saliva, which is used to analyze your DNA to determine your genetic risk of developing the 28 conditions they test for. In the comprehensive results report you receive following the test, you’ll find your risk information, how to lessen your risks, and information about the conditions they test for. If you’re just looking to know what health issues you might face in the future, Futura is a great test option. To learn more about Futura,  their DNA test, and if it will tell you what you want to know, read on.

What You Receive

The test kit itself is a common saliva test and contains clear instructions in the package. The kit gets mailed to your home for free and comes with instructions on how to complete the test. You fill the test tube with your saliva until it is between two marked lines, put the lid on it, and shake it. Once you’ve completed the test you can arrange for a UPS or FedEx courier pickup through Futura (also for free). You can also drop your test off at your preferred UPS location for delivery.

The kit is available worldwide and generally takes 5-10 days for delivery through UPS. EU customers can receive express shipping through FedEx.

Score: 5 out of 5. The test itself is standard, but the added simplicity of pickup, delivery, and free shipping make it worth rating as a five.

5 Standout Features of Futura Genetics

1.      Comprehensive Test Results

With 28 common conditions included in the test results, Futura’s report covers what Helix and 23andMe cover in multiple reports, each with their own price tag. The price you pay for Futura’s single and comprehensive report is much less than having to purchase multiple reports through other companies to get the same number of results.

Common Conditions Included

  • Age-Related Macular Degeneration
  • Alopecia
  • Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Atrial Fibrillation
  • Basal Cell Carcinoma
  • Bladder Cancer
  • Breast Cancer
  • Celiac Disease
  • Colorectal Cancer
  • Coronary Heart Disease
  • Exfoliating Glaucoma
  • Gastric Cancer
  • Graves’ Disease
  • Intracranial Aneurysm
  • Lung Cancer
  • Lupus
  • Melanoma
  • Migraine
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Obesity
  • Open-Angle Glaucoma
  • Peripheral Vascular Disease
  • Prostate Cancer
  • Psoriasis
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Type 1 Diabetes
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Venous Thromboembolism

2.      One Test, No Confusion

Having only one test keeps your purchasing options simple. Since all the results are included with the single purchase price, you won’t have to debate about which service to buy or how much you want to spend on multiple test results. You’ll never feel like you’re missing out on results either since they’re all included in the comprehensive report.

3.      Choose not to know your Alzheimer’s risk

If you’re worried about your risk of developing Alzheimer’s, Futura allows you to decide not to receive that data. Since the cause of Alzheimer’s isn’t fully understood and there is currently no cure, you might be nervous about learning your risk factor for it. If you’re uncomfortable learning your risk, simply de-select the Alzheimer’s section when you register your test.

4.      Description of common conditions

When you get your report, not only does it list your risk factor for the common conditions tested, but it also gives you a brief summary of them as well. These summaries list initial symptoms, a summary of the conditions’ onsets and progressions, and current treatments available. You can also find these on Futura’s website, so you can read all about them before you purchase your test.

5.      In it for the long haul

Future Genetics has been in the business for a long time. They have over 15 years of experience with the DNA testing industry. By comparison, 23andMe was founded 13 years ago and didn’t have genetic health tests available for consumers in certain countries until 2014. Futura’s lab, located in the EU, is state of the art and certified by the highest industry standards.

Score: 5 out of 5.

Your Results

Four weeks to know your future

Four weeks isn’t a very long time to wait to find out your risk for 28 different common conditions. Once Futura receives your sample, it takes between three and four weeks to process your sample, which is similar to other DNA testing companies. Once your report is ready, you’ll be notified that your report is available online on your secure account. You can then download and print it. Futura also gives you the option to have a printed report sent to you along with the printed report online. You have to select this option at registration.

The 26-page report is well laid out, clear and informative. Futura has a condensed sample version that you can view on their website, and it gives you a really good idea of what to expect. Your report will contain a brief introduction, the list of common conditions and your risk percent compared to the average risk, pictograms to indicate ways to lessen your risk, condition information, a glossary, and Futura contact info.

For each common condition, the report compares your risk to the average risk from their sample data. Even if your risk is high for certain conditions, the report delivers this information in a matter-of-fact and reassuring manner.  They offer insights into what type of medical practitioner to contact, ways to decrease the risk with lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, and reassure you that even if you have a high risk, that does not mean you will develop the condition.

If you have questions about your results or anything related to your test, Futura is very open and encourages customer contact through email, Facebook, Twitter and their website contact form.

Score: 5 out of 5

Support

Futura offers four contact options: email, Facebook, Twitter and by using a contact form, where they reply to you by email. They have their contact options listed in the top right corner of their web pages so you can easily be in touch with them, and they also list their email at the end of the report. Their website says you can email them any time, but didn’t list response times for Facebook or Twitter.

When I sent a direct email to their support account I received a reply in about an hour. They answered my questions clearly and actually provided more information than I expected. The inquiry I made on Facebook took about six hours to receive an answer, and when I tried out the contact form I had a response the next day. The longer response times could have to do with time zone differences, as I contacted them in the evening in my time zone. Since they deal with customers worldwide, this might not be an issue in other parts of the world. With each response, I received a little more relevant information than what I asked for, which is great from a customer service perspective.

The link to the FAQ page is at the very bottom of the web pages and took a bit of scrolling to find. Once I got there, I found it easy to use, with a wide selection of common questions sorted into common themes. The answers listed to their FAQs are clear and informative. The FAQ page will be able to answer almost any questions you have about the Futura test.

Futura does have a blog, but with only three or four posts per year, I feel like they haven’t put much effort into it. Their blog posts cover a variety of topics, including lists, explanations, and how to use different aspects of the site.

Score: 4 out of 5. All the information they give is clear and helpful, but I deducted one point because they have a blog but don’t appear to update it frequently, and their FAQ page, though informative, is all the way at the bottom of their website.

Pricing

Futura Genetics refreshingly offers straightforward, simple payment options. There are two different pricing options. If you’re already a 23andMe customer, you only have to pay for your report and that costs one to two thirds less than if you need to purchase and complete a test. Otherwise, your test and report are paid for with a single payment and no worries about being asked to create a subscription or purchase further products.

If you look at some other test companies, like Helix, they will test for similar things but their tests are broken down into different groups and require you to purchase the reports individually. If you want to know your genetic risks for multiple diseases, it’s much cheaper to go with Futura. 23andMe has a smaller test, with 10 plus conditions, but they also include ancestry, trait and gene carrier information. Futura has a more comprehensive condition report, but if you would like to know your ancestry information as well, 23andMe might be a better place to start. If you start at 23andMe, you can always upload your test results to Futura when their 23andMe report is on sale. This will only cost slightly more than ordering just the Futura test and report.

 Keeping it simple, everything you need is included in the test price. The cost of shipping the test kit to your address and delivering it to the Futura lab is included in the one-time cost you pay before starting.

If you visit their site a few times, you’ll likely receive a notice or two with discount offers, which makes it worth reading the information on their site over a period of a few days.

The site accepts major credit cards, including American Express, Maestro, Mastercard, Visa Electron and Visa. They also accept Paypal and bank wire transfers.

Score: 5 out of 5

The Bottom Line

Futura Genetics passes the test

If you want to know your genetic risk of developing a wide range of conditions, then the Futura Genetics test is a great option. The simplicity of taking one test and having one set of results beats out the competition for other genetic tests. With their single test for 28 conditions, they eliminate the frustration and confusion you might feel as you struggle with picking out packages from other companies. Their clear and informative report offers great health information along with the results.

Futura has a great product, but if you also want to use your DNA test for ancestry searching and matching, you won’t be able to do that with Futura’s data. However, if you use 23andMe, you can still submit data from their test to Futura for a more comprehensive health report.

Overall score: 4.5 out of 5

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