Your sample instructions are found with your kit. However, click here to read instruction to help you with your blood spot testing.
Bioresonance therapy is a complimentary medicine using a device that captures and diagnoses electromagnetic signals coming from the body. Developed in the 1970’s by a team of medical doctors and bio-physicists, these devices are in regular use in over 26 different countries.
Absolutely. We’re cleaning our facilities regularly, particularly our labs. Our Technicians and staff are adhering to the strictest standards of hygiene, cleaning hands on a regular basis and making constant use of hand sanitising stations located throughout the building. The only physical thing we send to you are blood testing kits which are handled with the strictest of hygiene controls. Your results will be available online through secure BitCare platform so nothing further will be physically sent from our building.
As with any infectious disease, we ask that you do not submit samples while still infected. In this particular case, we ask that you complete the recommended isolation period before submitting your sample for testing.
There may be a small delay in the time it takes us to process samples, but currently we still expect to be able to deliver results within the 3 days we advise in normal circumstances.
Covid-19 has no effect on your results. You can still be confident in the continued accuracy of the results your receive.
DNA sample is collected with a simple non-invasive cheek swab. The specimen collection will be performed by gently rubbing the swab provided, inside of both your cheeks and gums for a total of 30 seconds. Please, refer to the information below in question #5 – DNA sample collection steps.
A buccal swab used to collect the cells on the inside of a person’s cheeks. Buccal swabs are used frequently as a way to collect DNA samples for testing.
The buccal swab sample can ship at 77°F (25°C) or below. Swab samples can be safely stored for up to 1-2 weeks at 68°F (20°C) to room temperature before shipping. But we recommend shipping the swab sample in 1-2 days.
We take privacy seriously, and we have partnered with an accredited* scientific laboratory partner to perform all the tests and follow strict guidelines accordingly at the state of the art genetic testing facility. The analysis is processed and controlled in a highly secure environment. Our lab partner takes steps during and after the screening tests and the sample collection is discarded according to established guidelines. The data from the screening is not shared with anyone including research purposes. By law, the report is only released with your permission to those you designate eligible to receive it.
Accreditations
Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulates all laboratory testing (except research) performed on humans in the U.S. through the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA). The objective of the CLIA program is to ensure quality laboratory testing.
“The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) regulates laboratory testing and requires clinical laboratories to be certificated by their state as well as the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) before they can accept human samples for diagnostic testing.” – FDA.GOV More info: CMS.gov, FDA.gov.
The College of American Pathologists
The College of American Pathologists (CAP), the leading organization of board-certified pathologists, serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine.
For 70 years, “the College of American Pathologists (CAP), the leading organization of board-certified pathologists, serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide.” – CAP.ORG
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
The Office for Civil Rights enforces the HIPAA Privacy Rule, which protects the privacy of individually identifiable health information; the HIPAA Security Rule sets national standards for the security of protected health information.
Food and Drug Administration
Advanced Genomics operates in parallel to contribute with the FDA’s responsibility for protecting the public health. This includes controlled operations of our FDA approved Rapid Respiratory testing panel.
Yes, our lab partners’ process all of your genetic tests inside a state of art and highly secure laboratory/facility. They control the sample and laboratory report and by law can only release this information to you with your permission.
Direct-to-consumer genetic testing is not required to be ordered or tested through healthcare providers (primary care physicians, tele-doc physicians, nurse practitioners, and/or genetic counselors). They are ordered directly from online (our site or partner site) or bought at a retail outlet (pharmacy, health & wellness store, clinics, etc). The process is simple and safe to use mostly at the comfort of customers’ home; with a simple cheek swab or other means (depending on the type of test ordered). After the collection of the DNA sample, the customer sends the sample via pre-paid envelope to the CLIA/CAP lab for DNA analysis and accessed securely via BitCare website or PDF report or through the mobile app.
By default, none of the DNA tests include the entire genome sequencing. The entire Genome Projects estimated that humans have between 20,000 and 25,000 genes. Health DNA Test for example tests for 36 gene variations involved in nine key biological processes, which are all key factors in the onset of chronic disease.
DNA Kits only includes the kit and its contents for the DNA collection and does not include the cost of the lab fees.
DNA Tests include the lab fees, which vary from test to test and the number of tests ordered by the same customer.
Diagnostic tests are primarily based on diagnosis or to confirm a suspected health condition (presence or absence of disease) once initial testing has revealed its possibility. Diagnostic tests are often more expensive and primarily covered by insurance with physician sign-off or paid out of pocket by the patient.
Non-Diagnostic Tests or Screening Tests are ordered and used in large part by healthy individuals as a preventative measure to maintain a healthy lifestyle – to detect early disease or risk factors for disease. Mostly the tests are covered out-of-pocket or through the Health Savings Accounts (HSA) or similar.
In most cases, Non-Diagnostic tests (or Screening Tests or Direct-to-Consumer) are not covered by the health insurance provider but we recommend our potential customers or customer to contact their employer or health insurance provider on the coverage of preventative care tests’ coverage or programs. Paid invoice(s) will be made available if needed for the reimbursement purposes, please, contact us via our contact us form.
In most cases, Non-Diagnostic tests (or Screening Tests or Direct-to-Consumer) are not covered by the health insurance provider but we recommend our potential customers or customer to contact their employer or health insurance provider on the coverage of preventative care tests’ coverage or programs. Paid invoice(s) will be made available if needed for the reimbursement purposes, please, contact us via our contact us form.
Non-Diagnostic Tests or Screening Tests are ordered and used in large part by healthy individuals as a preventative measure to maintain a healthy lifestyle – to detect early disease or risk factors for disease. Mostly the tests are covered out-of-pocket or through the Health Savings Accounts (HSA) or similar.
Our genetic testing results are provided in a proprietary report. We have attempted to make this report as simple and straightforward as possible. Your report(s) will be uploaded to the BitCare.co platform for you to securely log in and view, download, or share with your provider.
Following the receipt of your DNA samples at the lab, we are committed to delivering your results in 1-3 weeks via the secure platforms. Should you select to have your results mailed, the process will take an additional few days.
Our genetic testing results are provided in a laboratory report. We have attempted to make this report as simple and straightforward as possible. These tests will be delivered to you via the method you select, but we definitely recommend that you share these results with your physician as some of the things may be somewhat difficult to comprehend without the aid of a doctor. Please note that by law, all lab records and test results will be confidential and will not be released without your permission to your healthcare provider.
Our DNA tests analyze DNA for genetic variants that affect your response to the foods and beverages you consume. The test does not predict or diagnose any disease or health condition. With the information from your test results, your healthcare professional will be able to provide you with dietary advice tailored to your individual genetic profile.
Nutrigenomics Screening (NGx) is a scientific discipline that uses modern genomics technology to study the relationship between genes, nutrition, and health. It has long been apparent that some people respond differently to others to certain foods. For example, individuals with lactose intolerance experience gastrointestinal discomfort after consuming certain dairy products, while other individuals can consume dairy with no problems. Nutrigenomics allows us to understand how our genes affect the way we respond to the foods, beverages, and supplements we consume. Personalized genetic testing solves this problem by providing patients with a targeted, evidence-based account of their specific nutritional needs.
Who Can Benefit?
Prescribing medications to a patient can be difficult. Everyone’s DNA is set up differently. Take the difficult guesswork out of prescribing medications and look for the following qualifying attributes:
Pharmacogenetics test offers the following disease state predispositions:
Two types of panels:
Insurance is now consistently reimbursing for this type of testing in many diagnostic situations, including adverse drug reactions or lack of response to medication, pain management, cancer management, and management of many co-morbid conditions. We have submitted multiple claims with several carriers, almost all of which were paid at an acceptable rate. Please note that we have seen coverage provided only for relevant medications and conditions, not when testing is used as a general screening. Contact your insurance provider about coverage before ordering if this is a concern. Even if it is not covered by insurance, most patients think that the one-time expense is well worth it when the benefits of testing are considered.
Variations in CYP450 2D6, 3A4, and 3A5 enzymes can affect how your body responds to different medications. Only about half of patients using pain medication actually receive pain relief. Molecular Pharmacological testing has been proven to reduce the adverse side effects that some patients experience due to improper metabolized pain medications including; nausea, tolerance, vomiting, and weakness. Finding the right drug dosage is vital to your overall health and proper management of pain. Genetic testing can help your doctor prescribe the exact dosage of pain medication that you need without months of trial and error with different drugs and dosages.
According to the Precision Medicine Initiative, precision medicine is “an emerging approach for disease treatment and prevention that takes into account individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle for each person.” This approach will allow doctors and researchers to predict more accurately which treatment and prevention strategies for a particular disease will work in which groups of people. It is in contrast to a one-size-fits-all approach, in which disease treatment and prevention strategies are developed for the average person, with less consideration for the differences between individuals.
Although the term “precision medicine” is relatively new, the concept has been a part of healthcare for many years. For example, a person who needs a blood transfusion is not given blood from a randomly selected donor; instead, the donor’s blood type is matched to the recipient to reduce the risk of complications. Although examples can be found in several areas of medicine, the role of precision medicine in day-to-day healthcare is relatively limited. Researchers hope that this approach will expand to many areas of health and healthcare in the coming years.
Source: NIH.gov
There is a lot of overlap between the terms “precision medicine” and “personalized medicine.” According to the National Research Council, “personalized medicine” is an older term with a meaning similar to “precision medicine.” However, there was a concern that the word “personalized” could be misinterpreted to imply that treatments and preventions are being developed uniquely for each individual; in precision medicine, the focus is on identifying which approaches will be effective for which patients based on genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. The Council, therefore, preferred the term “precision medicine” to “personalized medicine.” However, some people still use the two terms interchangeably.
Pharmacogenomics is a part of precision medicine. Pharmacogenomics is the study of how genes affect a person’s response to particular drugs. This relatively new field combines pharmacology (the science of drugs) and genomics (the study of genes and their functions) to develop effective, safe medications and doses that are tailored to variations in a person’s genes.
Source: NIH.gov
The Precision Medicine Initiative is a long-term research endeavor, involving the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and multiple other research centers, which aims to understand how a person’s genetics, environment, and lifestyle can help determine the best approach to prevent or treat disease.
The Precision Medicine Initiative has both short-term and long-term goals. The short-term goals involve expanding precision medicine in the area of cancer research. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) hope to use an increased knowledge of the genetics and biology of cancer to find new, more effective treatments for various forms of this disease. The long-term goals of the Precision Medicine Initiative focus on bringing precision medicine to all areas of health and healthcare on a large scale. To this end, the NIH has launched a study, known as the All of Us Research Program, which involves a group (cohort) of at least 1 million volunteers from around the United States. Participants are providing genetic data, biological samples, and other information about their health. To encourage open data sharing, participants can access their health information, as well as research that uses their data, during the study. Researchers can use these data to study a large range of diseases, with the goals of better-predicting disease risk, understanding how diseases occur and finding improved diagnosis and treatment strategies.
Source: NIH.gov
Precision medicine holds promise for improving many aspects of health and healthcare. Some of these benefits will be apparent soon, as the All of Us Research Program continues and new tools and approaches for managing data are developed. Other benefits will result from long-term research in precision medicine and may not be realized for years.
Source: NIH.gov
Source: NIH.gov
As the genetics of neurodegenerative disease become better understood, opportunities for genetic susceptibility testing for at-risk individuals will increase. Such testing raises important ethical and practice issues related to test access, informed consent, risk estimation and communication, the return of results, and policies to prevent genetic discrimination. The advent of direct-to-consumer genetic susceptibility testing for various neurodegenerative disorders (including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease, and certain prion diseases) means that ethical and practical challenges must be faced not only in traditional research and clinical settings but also in broader society.
This review addresses several topics relevant to the development and implementation of genetic susceptibility tests across research, clinical, and consumer settings; these include appropriate indications for testing, the implications of different methods for disclosing test results, clinical versus personal utility of risk information, psychological and behavioral responses to test results, testing of minors, genetic discrimination, and ethical dilemmas posed by whole-genome sequencing.
We also identify future areas of likely growth in the field, including pharmacogenomics and genetic screening for individuals considering or engaged in activities that pose an elevated risk of brain injury (e.g., football players, military personnel).
APOE gene testing for risk of Alzheimer’s disease is used throughout as an instructive case example, drawing upon the authors’ experience as investigators in a series of multisite randomized clinical trials that have examined the impact of disclosing APOE genotype status to interested individuals (e.g., first-degree relatives of AD patients, persons with mild cognitive impairment). – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23583530
We are bridging science to clinical practice by implementing cutting edge technologies to evaluate the health profile of individuals and their hereditary disease conditions risk. We provide DNA sequencing for targeted panels, allowing us to focus on specific areas of interest to reduce the price and faster delivery time.
Alzheimer dementia and dementia panel (is the most common form of dementia in the elderly affecting more than 6 million Americans It is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the neuropathological findings of amyloid plaques containing β amyloid and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain AD is a complex and heterogeneous disease, influenced by many genetic and environmental factors One of the well-characterized genetic factors are mutations in the Apolipoprotein E ( gene Alzheimer disease is a genetically heterogeneous disorder and some of the well-characterized mutations are in the Apolipoprotein E (APOE), PRNP,PSEN 1 ,PSEN 2 ,SORL 1 and TRME 2 genes.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemporal Dementia panel ( is a progressive neurodegenerative disease involving both upper motor neurons ( and lower motor neurons ( UMN signs include hyperreflexia, extensor plantar response, increased muscle tone, and weakness in a topographic representation LMN signs include weakness, muscle wasting, hyporeflexia, muscle cramps, and fasciculation’s Initial presentation varies Affected individuals typically present with either asymmetric focal weakness of the extremities (stumbling or poor handgrip) or bulbar findings ( dysphagia) Other findings may include muscle fasciculation’s, muscle cramps, and labile affect, but not necessarily mood Regardless of initial symptoms, atrophy, and weakness eventually affect other muscles The mean age of onset is 56 years in individuals with no known family history and 46 years in individuals with more than one affected family member (familial ALS or FALS) Average disease duration is about three years, but it can vary significantly Death usually results from compromise of the respiratory muscles.
Parkinson disease was first described by James Parkinson in 1817 It is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer disease (AD 104300 affecting approximately 1 of the population over age 50 Polymeropoulos et al 1996 ReviewsWarner and Schapira 2003 reviewed the genetic and environmental causes of Parkinson disease Genetic Heterogeneity of Parkinson Disease Several loci for autosomal dominant Parkinson disease have been identified, including PARK 1 and PARK 2 caused by mutation in or triplication of the alpha-synuclein genes, respectively Also,PARK 5UCHL 1 ,LRRK 2 HTRA 2 gene mutations.
Check with your insurance provider. Some companies may cover the cost of a consultation with a healthcare professional, a healthcare spending account, it may cover the cost of the test kit as well as if you have lab fees.
Our reports are currently available in English. In the future, we plan to release reports in other languages such as French, Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew, Arabic, Hindi, and Chinese; as we are planning on developing more translations into many other languages.
Only you will be able to access your genetic test results through BitCare.co platform and your healthcare professional, only if and when you share your data. Your DNA kit is marked with a unique bar code, which is what we will use to analyze your sample. All genetic data is sent through a secure 256-bit encryption server.
TheAddiction + Behavior DNA or Genetic Addiction Risk Score (GARS)Test is also known as the Genetic Addiction Risk Score (GARS) Report – identifies your individual genetic predisposition to Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS).
GARS™ reveals gene mutations within a person’s DNA that could predispose that person to certain addictive behaviors.
This can help personalize a recovery treatment plan used to better manage patients being treated with narcotics and to alert people of ‘at-risk environments’ that could trigger addictive behaviors. Highly effective in providing information treat existing addiction issues and equally important in helping in addiction prevention.
The Addiction + Behavior DNA Test is also known as the Genetic Addiction Risk Score (GARS) Report. GARS is an index of an entire panel of genes. All of the genes tested are collectively important to provide an overall understanding of a person’s predisposition toward addictive and other behaviors based on Reward Deficiency Syndrome.
Reward deficiency syndrome (RDS) is a psychological theory first noted by Kenneth Blum in 1996. It is characterized by reward-seeking behavior and/or addictions, stemming from genetic variations of the receptors in their brain, resulting in lack of pleasure and reward from activities that would provide others with pleasure.
This can result in addiction, mood disorders, compulsions, impulsivity, and other spectrum disorders. Since the normal “pleasure” neurotransmitters such as dopamine are lower among these individuals, they don’t feel as good as they should from normal activities. This leads them to seek out more extreme thrills such as addictive drugs or behaviors like gambling.
Click Here to learn more about Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS).
If you’ve inherited a number of gene variations for dopamine deficiency–and are exposed to a substance or engaged in behavior that elevates your dopamine level, particularly during a time of stress or sadness, you will feel a lot better—at least for a little while. You may even conclude that you had found the solution to stress, boredom, bad feelings, bad days, and difficult people. Of course, the relief is only temporary, but learning how to change your mood artificially–if just for a little while, is a tell-tale sign of RDS. Self-medication with substances or behaviors is a big and very important step towards addictive disease.
The persistent use of drugs and/or alcohol may also create reward deficits in the brain. All drugs of abuse artificially spike the brain’s dopamine level which results in chemically induced “high” that far exceeds what one could attain naturally. But what goes up–must come down. Unlike natural rewards, after a drug or alcohol-induced high, dopamine levels become a deficit. So, the more someone uses a mood-altering substance or engages in addictive behavior to feel better, the worse them actually feel– which is the neurobiological result.
Dopamine mediates how we experience pleasure, reward, joy, and contentment. Dopamine ascribes “salience” to behaviors directly connected to our species centered survival drive, e.g., eating, hydration and copulation, to name a few. Recent research shows that perhaps as many as 30% of the US population have a genetically acquired “dopamine deficiency” –and thus, are at increased “risk” for developing addictive disease, or other debilitating brain disorders including depression, anxiety disorder, ADHD, stress-related disorders, sexual compulsions, pathological gambling, hedonic overeating, obesity, and more.
Addiction + Behavior DNA Test or GARS® is an index of an entire panel of genes. All of the genes tested are collectively important to provide an overall understanding of a person’s predisposition toward addictive and other behaviors based on Reward Deficiency Syndrome.
Addiction + Behavior (A+B) DNA Test or GARS is not currently covered by insurance. The price has been minimized to be reasonable, considering this is a once in a lifetime test. If a person feels they cannot afford GARS, the non-for-profit foundation, Know Now DNA might be able to help with the cost of the test if you meet their coverage criteria. https://www.knownowdna.org/
DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms.
More info, click here: https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/basics/dna
Cells are the basic building blocks of all living things. The human body is composed of trillions of cells. They provide structure for the body, take in nutrients from food, convert those nutrients into energy, and carry out specialized functions. Cells also contain the body’s hereditary material and can make copies of themselves.
More info, click here: https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/basics/dna
A gene is the basic physical and functional unit of heredity. Genes are made up of DNA. Some genes act as instructions to make molecules called proteins. However, many genes do not code for proteins. In humans, genes vary in size from a few hundred DNA bases to more than 2 million bases. The Human Genome Project estimated that humans have between 20,000 and 25,000 genes.
More info, click here: https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/basics/gene
In the nucleus of each cell, the DNA molecule is packaged into thread-like structures called chromosomes. Each chromosome is made up of DNA tightly coiled many times around proteins called histones that support its structure.
More info, click here: https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/basics/chromosome
In humans, each cell normally contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, for a total of 46. Twenty-two of these pairs, called autosomes, look the same in both males and females. The 23rd pair, the sex chromosomes, differs between males and females. Females have two copies of the X chromosome, while males have one X and one Y chromosome.
More info, click here: https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/basics/howmanychromosomes
Explore the normal functions of human genes and the health implications of genetic changes.
Please, click here to learn more: https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene
The Basics: Explore the signs, symptoms, genetic causes and inheritance pattern of various health conditions.
Please, click here to learn more: https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition
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