AncestryHealth launched to offer actionable health insights

AncestryHealth service

Ancestry introduced AncestryHealth, a new offering designed to “make a difference in preventive health through personalized and actionable insights.”

AncestryHealth services are made to deliver actionable insights that can empower people to take proactive steps — in collaboration with their healthcare provider — to address potential health risks identified in their genes and family health history. The offering includes two services: AncestryHealth Core, a one-time, array-based service; and AncestryHealth Plus, a membership service using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, helping people start on the path toward better health for themselves and their families.

AncestryHealth services include physician-ordered tests that were developed and are performed by independent CLIA-certified laboratories; educational information, including access to genetic counseling resources; and printable consumer and physician-ready reports that provide guidance for next steps an individual and their healthcare provider can take together.

Ancestry has partnered with PWNHealth, an independent network of board-certified physicians and genetic counselors, to offer these services, which are included in both AncestryHealth Core and AncestryHealth Plus.

“Your genes don’t need to be your destiny. Understanding your familial and inherited health risks can help you take action with your doctor to improve your chances of better health outcomes,” Margo Georgiadis, CEO of Ancestry, said in a statement.

AncestryHealth Core is dubbed a first step on the journey of understanding how family heritage and genetics can impact health and wellness. It covers a set of curated, common “need to know” health conditions and includes printable family health history and lab reports people can share with their healthcare provider. The physician-ordered laboratory test included in AncestryHealth Core uses genotyping array technology to detect genetic differences and deliver personalized reports related to health conditions such as heart disease, hereditary cancers, blood-related disorders, and risks for carrier status of health conditions, such as Tay-Sachs disease. Additionally, there are wellness reports on topics such as nutrition and metabolism. AncestryHealth Core is priced at $149 and includes AncestryDNA, while existing AncestryDNA customers can upgrade to AncestryHealth Core for $49.

On the other hand, AncestryHealth Plus will use next generation sequencing (NGS) technology to deliver more comprehensive screening data, providing both greater coverage of DNA differences for each condition and more risk categories such as those related to potentially developing heart disease, cancers, and disorders related to blood, the nervous system and connective tissues. For new customers, AncestryHealth Plus with NGS technology has a $199 activation fee, which includes the first six months of membership with an additional $49 membership fee every six months. Existing AncestryDNA customers can upgrade to AncestryHealth Plus for an initial payment of $49. The ongoing membership will include quarterly screening updates, more educational resources and enhanced tools for family health history and healthcare provider collaboration.

Both AncestryHealth services include simple, step-by-step guidance to help people track and record their family health history all in one place. Family health history information often holds important clues about an individual’s risk for disease and is an important foundation, along with genetic screening, to proactively identify and address potential health risks. Customers can download and share a printable version of their family health history, along with their test results, with their healthcare provider so they can have the information necessary to personalize their care and take proactive steps where clinically necessary.