Health-related DNA results from the All of Us research program

The DNA results you get from the All of Us Research Program are research results.

These results should be confirmed with a clinical DNA test. Please always talk to your doctor or health care provider before making any changes to your health care or medicines.

Medicine and your DNA

Everyone metabolizes, or processes, medicine a bit differently. For example, do you prefer one type of pain reliever because you think it works better for you?

That may be partially because of your DNA. Some genetic variants cause your body to process a medicine more slowly than the average person.

This may mean that you need less of a medicine or that it stays in your body longer. Other variants cause your body to process a medicine faster. That may mean you need a larger dose or that it leaves your body faster.

All of Us can give you a report on some of the genes that are known to affect how the body processes medicine. You can find a full list of these genes on our website at JoinAllofUs.org/medicine-and-your-DNA. For each gene, we will let you know which variant type you have and what that means. We will also include a list of medicines that may be affected by your genetics. You can download your Medicine and Your DNA report from your All of Us account and share it with your doctor or health care provider. They may decide to do further testing.

How to get your DNA results

To get your health-related DNA results from All of Us, there are some initial steps you will need to complete:

1. Create an All of Us account
2. Sign the Consent to Join the All of Us Research Program
3. Agree to share your electronic health records (EHR) with the program
4. Go through the Consent to Get DNA Results and tell us you want your DNA results
5. Complete The Basics survey
6. When invited to do so, provide your blood and/or saliva samples

Please make sure your contact information is up to date in your All of Us account. We will notify you when we are ready to check your DNA for a specific type of result. It may take a few months or years for All of Us to check your DNA. Everyone will get their results on an individualized timeline.

You get to decide. You can choose whether to get your own personal DNA results. Whatever you decide, you can change your mind later.

More questions?

This article is just an overview. For more information, check out the Learning Center in your All of Us account or view our website at JoinAllofUs.org. You can also call us at (414) 955-2689 or send an email to allofus@mcw.edu. NOTE: All of Us is a research program and does not provide health care or medical advice.