DNAimpact™ is a one-of-a-kind program offered by a sponsor such as your employer or health plan. It focuses on you as a person, using your genetic information to guide you and your healthcare providers to make the most informed medical decisions possible for you.  

DNAimpact™ is a one-of-a-kind program offered by a sponsor such as your employer or health plan. It focuses on you as a person, using your genetic information to guide you and your healthcare providers to make the most informed medical decisions possible for you.  

At any point in the process, if you have questions, need assistance or are unsure what to do, InformedDNA’s Support Care team is ready to help. Simply send an email to CustomerSupport@dnaimpact.com or call (888) 526-3601.

Your sponsor is covering the full cost of the program. As part of the program, if you decide to have genetic testing or genetic counseling, you will not be billed. However, any doctor visits, medical screening or procedures you may want to consider pursuing after genetic testing is not part of the program.

Please consult your benefit election. In some cases, family members will have access to the program.

The DNAimpact™ program may include several different options for personalized education and genetic testing. Those available to you will depend on the specific program selected by your sponsor. These programs may include:

• Hereditary Cancer Genetic Testing Learn whether you have an increased risk of developing certain types of cancer (compared to the general population) through hereditary cancer genetic testing of the following genes: APC, ATM, AXIN2, BARD, BMPR1A, BRCA1, BRCA2, BRIP1, CDH1, CDKN2A, CHEK2, EPCAM, GREM1, HOXB13, MAX, MEN1, MLH1, MSH2, MSH3, MSH6, MUTYH, NF1, NTHL1, PALB2, PMS2, POLD1, POLE, PTEN, RAD51C, RAD51D, RB1, RET, SDHA, SDHAF2, SDHB, SDHC, SDHD, SMAD4, STK11, TMEM127, TP53, TSC1, TSC2, VHL, and WT1. Changes/mutations in these genes are known to cause an increased risk for a variety of cancers (depending on which gene), including but not limited to breast, colorectal, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate.
  
  
• Hereditary Cardiac Genetic Testing Learn whether you have an increased risk of developing certain types of heart disease (compared to the general population) through hereditary cardiac genetic testing of the following genes: ACTA2, ACTC1, ACTN2, ACVRL1, APOB, BAG3, BMPR2, CACNA1C, CALM1, CALM2, CALM3, CASQ2, CAV1, CAV3, COL3A1, COL5A1, COL5A2, CSRP3, DES, DMD, DSC2, DSG2, DSP, ENG, F2, F5, F9, FBN1, FHL1, FLNC, GDF2, GLA, JUP, KCNH2, KCNQ1, LAMP2, LDLRAP1, LMNA, MYBPC3, MYH11, MYH7, MYL2, MYL3, MYLK, NKX2-5, PCKS9, PKP2, PLN, PRKAG2, PRKG1, PROC, PROS1, RBM20, RYR2, SCN5A, SERPINC1, SMAD3, SMAD4, SMAD9, TGFB2, TGFBR2, TMEM43, TNNC1, TNNI3, TNNT2, TPM1, TRDN, TTR, and VCL. Changes/mutations in these genes are known to cause an increased risk for a variety of inherited disorders that affect the heart’s structure and/or function, depending on which gene.

There are different reasons for doing a genetic test. A genetic test can be done to:

• confirm a diagnosis that is already suspected based on personal and/or family medical history and/or a medical exam (Diagnostic Test)
• determine if a healthy person will develop a condition before any signs or symptoms appear (Presymptomatic Test)
• determine if a healthy person has an increased risk to develop a condition in the future (Predictive Test).

Confirming a diagnosis may give you the genetic information needed to qualify for clinical trials or certain screenings and treatments covered by health insurance to better manage your condition. Knowing about an increased risk might lead a person to make medical decisions that reduce their chance of developing a condition or help identify it at an early, more treatable stage.

There are some risks of genetic testing outlined in your consent form that can include psychological risks related to emotional reactions to results; financial risks related to possible employer discrimination; insurance risks related especially to life insurance, disability insurance and long-term care insurance; and family or social risks related to how results may affect family members or relationships. There are also some protections in place and some steps we and you can take to reduce these risks.

There may be risks related to patient privacy but they are low, as we take all precautions to ensure your confidentiality. Genetic tests are handled in a confidential manner, just like other personal health information. Your medical record and test results are confidential. We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information as outlined by HIPAA. You can also help protect your privacy by only sharing your results with people you trust, like your healthcare provider. We recommend that you do not post your results on social media or other public places. No individual genetic test results are shared back with the sponsor of the DNAimpact™ program such as your employer or benefit provider.

Also, while in most cases a saliva (spit) sample or cheek swab can be used for testing, sometimes a blood draw is needed. This poses a small risk for bruising, inflammation or infection at the site of the blood draw.

Please review your informed consent form completely and make sure you understand the risks and that any questions you have are answered before genetic testing. InformedDNA’s Support Care team is ready to help if you still have questions. Simply send an email to CustomerSupport@dnaimpact.com or call (888) 526-3601.

At InformedDNA, your privacy is of utmost importance to us. When you use our services, you trust us with significant personal details, and safeguarding that information is a top priority. We empower you with complete control over how your information is used and who it is shared with. Your genetic data will not be disclosed to employers, insurance companies, public databases, or third-party marketers without your explicit consent. We maintain a robust data security program, adhering to strict industry data protection standards. All sensitive information is encrypted, and regular assessments are done to detect and address security risks and threats. We do not divulge individual-level personal information to law enforcement unless compelled by a court order, subpoena, search warrant, or other legally valid requests. Your privacy is our commitment.

Life insurance, disability insurance, and long-term care insurance are not covered by protective laws.  For these types of insurance, if you try to get a new policy in the future after genetic testing, you may be required to provide the results of previous genetic testing and you could be denied insurance or your rates could be increased. You should consider your needs for life insurance, disability insurance and long-term care insurance before having genetic testing to ensure you have the insurance you need now and for the future. If you have any questions about this, InformedDNA’s Support Care team is ready to help. Simply send an email to CustomerSupport@dnaimpact.com or call (888) 526-3601.

When it comes to employment and health insurance, there are two federal (U.S.) laws, one called GINA (Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act) and the other called the ACA (Affordable Care Act), as well as some state laws to help protect people from genetic discrimination by health insurers and employers. These laws prohibit employers and health insurers from using genetic information. Many of these laws prevent the use of genetic information by health insurers in making decisions to provide coverage policies or deciding the cost of those policies.

This program allows you to collect your sample from the comfort of your home. At-home collection typically involves collecting a cheek swab from inside your mouth. Genetic testing on these samples is typically as accurate as testing completed on a blood sample. Your kit will be sent to you and will include instructions on how to collect your sample at home and send it back to the lab. Please follow those specific instructions that you will receive in the mailed kit from the lab. If interested, the steps below provide a general example of what is commonly included in instructions to collect a cheek swab.

What you can usually expect when collecting a cheek swab

A kit to swab your cheek is mailed to you so that you can do the cheek swab from the comfort of your home. The collection process usually takes about five to 10 minutes to complete. When your kit arrives, instructions will be similar to these steps (please follow the specific steps you will receive in the mail with your kit):

1. Wait 30 minutes after eating, drinking, smoking, or chewing gum. Do not rinse your mouth before testing.
2. To avoid contamination, wash your hands with soap and water.
3. Remove the pouch from the collection kit. Peel the pouch open.
4. Remove the collection stick from the pouch by the handle. Do not touch the sponge tip, as this may lead to contamination.
5. Carefully insert the sponge tip inside your mouth along your bottom gum line, as far back as comfortable.
6. Gently rub the sponge tip along your bottom gum about 10 times. Do not rub your teeth.
7. Move the sponge tip to the opposite cheek. Gently rub the sponge tip along your bottom gum about 10 times. Do not rub your teeth.
8. Remove the collection stick from your mouth and hold it upright. Without touching the sponge tip, unscrew the cap on the collection tube.
9. Turn the cap upside down and place the sponge tip inside the collection tube. Screw the cap securely onto the tube.
10. Gently shake the closed collection tube 10 times to ensure the stabilizing liquid is mixed with your sample.
11. Label the tube with your first and last name, your date of birth, and the date of sample collection.
12. Remove the plastic bag from the collection kit. Put the tube in the bag and seal it.
13. Place the bag into the return mailer. Note: your sample should be kept at room temperature. It must be shipped within 24-72 hours of collection.

If you lose or misplace your test kit, please contact InformedDNA’s Support Care team by email at CustomerSupport@dnaimpact.com or call (888) 526-3601.

Once you collect your at-home sample and mail it in the pre-paid envelope you received with your test kit, it goes to InformedDNA’s lab partner for this genetic testing DNAimpact™ program. At the lab, your DNA is extracted from your sample and checked for the specific genetic changes included in the test. This data is then analyzed and interpreted by the lab staff to create a technical report that is sent to InformedDNA for review.

You will receive an email when your results are available. From the time the lab receives your sample, results are expected to take 2-4 weeks to return. You will be able to access two result reports in your patient portal, the same secure web hub you’ll go to for all of your DNAimpact™ test-related information, education, and messages. The Baylor Genetics lab writes a technical report summarizing your test results which InformedDNA will review in order to create a user-friendly summary report that describes the important findings for you in a way that can help you better understand the meaning of your results and next steps.

When you enroll in the DNAimpact™ program you will be able to list which healthcare provider(s) should receive your results. The healthcare provider(s) you select will get the lab’s technical report. They will also get your user-friendly individual summary report. This will ensure your healthcare provider(s) are able to discuss your results with you and appropriately manage your healthcare now and in the future.

Everyone will be presented with the option to schedule a telehealth virtual appointment with an InformedDNA genetic counselor after testing to discuss your results in more detail, which can be done directly through the DNAimpact™ Patient Portal. If you have questions or if you would like to talk with a healthcare provider before testing, InformedDNA’s Support Care team is ready to help. Simply send an email to CustomerSupport@dnaimpact.com or call (888) 526-3601.

Genetic counseling through InformedDNA involves a telehealth discussion with a healthcare provider specially trained in genetics. They can help you better understand the genetic testing and your test results, including how they impact you and your family members.

Yes, while genetic counseling appointments are always available, they are not required. Any person can choose to proceed with testing and receive their results without a genetic counseling appointment. Everyone is also given the chance to meet with a genetic counselor after receiving results.

Informed consent is a legal term that means a person is fully aware of the facts of a situation (such as getting a genetic test) before agreeing to it. You will be asked to give consent for genetic testing. The Informed Consent form will include the information you need to know in order to make an “informed” decision such as: what the test is, risks and limitations of the test, how your data is stored, etc. Please make sure to read the Informed Consent Form completely. You will not be sent a test kit for genetic testing until your consent form is signed. If you have any questions or wish to speak with a genetic specialist before genetic testing, InformedDNA’s Support Care team is ready to help. Simply send an email to CustomerSupport@dnaimpact.com or call (888) 526-3601.