Genetic tests are a rapidly growing industry. 23andme was the first company that I personally had ever heard about who mass marketed these tests to the public for their own knowledge. These tests work by a person receiving a testing kit in their home. Then, all they do is spit into a tube and mail it back to the company. Once the company receives it, it processes the DNA on a genotyping chip which looks for variants in the person's DNA. Then, the company sends you back your results (23andme).
Personally, I do not want a test like this done on myself because I do not want to know if I am going to die of a rare genetic disorder. The only reason I could see for it being medically necessary to take a test like this is if you were more likely to be predisposed to a disorder that may not be apparent until later in life. But, personally, I still would not want to know because I know that I would live in constant fear.
Also, I do not like the idea of insurance companies charging me or other people extra or refusing to cover them because they have a predisposition or the possibility of getting a disease.
I think that if you submit your DNA to a company like this, using them for the greater good is okay so long as it is completely anonymous. But, I do not really trust the companies to be anonymous when giving information so I don’t see this as a reality.
23andMe. (n.d.). DNA Genetic Testing & Analysis. Retrieved from:
https://www.23andme.com/?new=true.