I hate the way they delete data from autosomal test

[Juba]

I concur with the sentiment expressed by the OP.
Had I known this beforehand, I definitely wouldn't have chosen FTDNA over 23andme.
What makes this even more infuriating and disgusting is that they then sell you some of those SNPs for exorbitant amounts of money for each one in the form of "factoids".

https://www.familytreedna.com/learn/test-types/factoid-tests-will-learn/

It would be one thing if the chip didn't sequence those SNPs in the first place, but deleting them afterwards is inexcusable.

They should let future buyers know beforehand that they won't get every SNP that they bargained for (i.e. the SNPs they would expect from their chip), because not doing so is very dishonest.

[E19463]

You can be sure of one thing and that is they had a good reason for doing so.

If you like big brother attitudes that much, how about North Korea for people like you? I do not understand how the freedom to decide what to know about yourself can scare people that much.
Again, nobody is forced to know. But advocating unfreedom in that case is beyond my understanding.

[T E Peterman]

Just remember that the SNP list used by 23andme is 5 years out of date; that is for y-DNA. They test once & offer no more.

Family Tree DNA's tree is also behind, but Family Tree DNA offers to sell SNP upgrades for most of the newly discovered SNPs.

I have tested at all three (Family Tree DNA, Ancestry & 23andme). Each has advantages & disadvantages. I don't recommend 23andme for anything other than medical results. Since Ancestry won't test y-DNA or mtDNA anymore, I don't recommend them for genealogy, unless a participant there is also testing at Family Tree DNA.

From what I've seen, in spite of the negative posts in the forums about IT issues & unexplained delays, when it comes to what is offered, actual DNA results & interpretation of them, Family Tree DNA surpasses the others by far.

Timothy Peterman

[Ann Turner]

I concur with the sentiment expressed by the OP.
Had I known this beforehand, I definitely wouldn't have chosen FTDNA over 23andme.
What makes this even more infuriating and disgusting is that they then sell you some of those SNPs for exorbitant amounts of money for each one in the form of "factoids".

https://www.familytreedna.com/learn/test-types/factoid-tests-will-learn/

It would be one thing if the chip didn't sequence those SNPs in the first place, but deleting them afterwards is inexcusable.

They should let future buyers know beforehand that they won't get every SNP that they bargained for (i.e. the SNPs they would expect from their chip), because not doing so is very dishonest.

The SNPs used for the factoids may not actually be on the off-the-shelf chip. I just did a spot check for caffeine metabolism (one where I could deduce the SNP), and the SNP rs762551 is not found in an AncestryDNA file using the same basic chip. 23andMe added many custom SNPs to their chip.

[Sarmat]

That would be ok but I'm pretty sure that's not the case. Consider Full mtdna (FGS) testing - that also provides tons of medical info, but they (Ftdna) don't delete any of the snps in those data. I think they just have to refrain from providing any medical analysis to be in compliance .

Right. This is the case with 23andme, for example. While they no longer provide medical or health-related interpretation of the data to new customers in the US, the SNPs themselves are still included in the raw data for independent analysis.

[LPeer]

Even though they delete some SNPs, if you upload your FTDNA raw FF files to Promethease, you'll still get a ton of medical info from all the other SNPs, including some of the "factoids". For $5, its a great deal. Before I uploaded some, I had the feeling that I woudln't get nearly as many results as with a 23 & me autosomal test, but I was pleasantly surprised by the large amount of medical info from SNPedia that I was able to get from running a FF autosomal raw data file through Promethease.

[1798]

If you like big brother attitudes that much, how about North Korea for people like you? I do not understand how the freedom to decide what to know about yourself can scare people that much.
Again, nobody is forced to know. But advocating unfreedom in that case is beyond my understanding.

Maybe I don't agree with it.I wrote that they may have good reason for doing so. If one does post something here that goes against the majority they get it in the ear. Are you sure we aren't already in NK?

[MMaddi]

If you like big brother attitudes that much, how about North Korea for people like you?

Really? You think that FTDNA scrubbing out medically relevant SNPs from Family Finder raw data is the same as what North Korea does to its people? Nice hyperbole, but really unfair.

I do not understand how the freedom to decide what to know about yourself can scare people that much.
Again, nobody is forced to know. But advocating unfreedom in that case is beyond my understanding.

Are you aware of why FTDNA decided to scrub medically relevant SNPs when they launched Family Finder? Have you heard about how the FDA has seriously affected the growth of 23andMe's database when they ordered the company in Nov., 2013 to stop providing medically related information to their customers?

So, FTDNA made what seems like a wise decision for a company oriented to genealogy, not medically related information. They decided to scrub SNPs that have medical implications so that the FDA has no basis to interfere in their business.

If you have a problem with "unfreedom," blame the FDA, not FTDNA, your favorite whipping boy.

[MikeP]

" ... FTDNA, your favorite whipping boy"

The forum can do without extraneous snarks IMHO ...

[E19463]

" ... FTDNA, your favorite whipping boy"

The forum can do without extraneous snarks IMHO ...

I have no hard feelings whatsoever and neither should you. Maybe he is right in pointing out FDA, I don't know.

[Tenn4ever]

An alternative to 23&Me and individual medical SNP testing:

http://dna-explained.com/2013/12/30/promethease-genetic-health-information-alternative/

https://promethease.com/ondemandlicense

[MMaddi]

I have no hard feelings whatsoever and neither should you. Maybe he is right in pointing out FDA, I don't know.

You just proved my point about "your favorite whipping boy."

You live in Europe and have basically admitted that you don't know all the facts behind FTDNA's decision to strip medically relevant SNP results from Family Finder. Yet you posted comments which sound as if you're blaming FTDNA for what turns out to be a reasonable decision, even comparing them to the dictatorship in North Korea.

I think now you'll agree that you were wrong to jump to the conclusion that FTDNA is to blame. I certainly understand your frustration about the long delays in results and lack of communication from FTDNA. But that doesn't mean you should decide that everything that's not to your liking is their fault.

That was my point and why I used the phrase "favorite whipping boy."

[E19463]

...
That was my point and why I used the phrase "favorite whipping boy."

I guess you got me wrong. It is up to us to change things as we do not live in North Korea. You do not like what FDA is doing? Do something, you live in a democracy.
No, the problem is neither FDA nor FTDNA but people like user "1798" and others who demand that FDA is acting the way it does, who are demanding to be protected from themselves.
The thinking of these people are a threat to our all freedom, it is this thinking that leads to a slippery slope of eroding freedom. FDA is just a symptom of that thinking and not the cause.

[E19463]

... FDA is just a symptom of that thinking and not the cause.

I wanted to write: "FDA is just a symptom of that thinking and not the problem."
I don't like the 15 minute limitation of editing...

[1798]

I guess you got me wrong. It is up to us to change things as we do not live in North Korea. You do not like what FDA is doing? Do something, you live in a democracy.
No, the problem is neither FDA nor FTDNA but people like user "1798" and others who demand that FDA is acting the way it does, who are demanding to be protected from themselves.
The thinking of these people are a threat to our all freedom, it is this thinking that leads to a slippery slope of eroding freedom. FDA is just a symptom of that thinking and not the cause.

Why do you accuse me in the wrong? Do you believe in free speech? We all have the right to have our say. I did not take anything from you.Take it up with FTDNA.

I don't have any complaints to air about the tests that I got from FTDNA. Some took longer than others but in the end I got the results.

As far as health related issues for me, if it is not broken there is no need to fix it.

Irish saying,
"If you were born to be hung, you will not be shot".