If you took an AncestryDNA test for genealogy, you may not realize that your raw data file also contains pharmacogenetic information. The same genotyping chip that identified your ethnic origins also captured variants in drug-metabolizing genes like CYP2D6, CYP2C19, and SLCO1B1. With the right analysis service, you can turn your Ancestry test into a comprehensive pharmacogenetics report covering over 100 medications, without buying a new test or needing a doctor's order.
Pharmacogenetic results are for educational and informational purposes. They do not replace professional medical advice. Never modify your medication regimen based solely on a pharmacogenetic report. Discuss all results with your healthcare provider.
AncestryDNA uses a genotyping chip that tests hundreds of thousands of genetic positions. Many of the key pharmacogenetic variants are included because they're common, well-characterized SNPs. Ancestry just doesn't analyze them for drug response, since that's not their product. But the data is in your raw file.
AncestryDNA allows you to download your raw genetic data from your account. The file is a text document listing your genotype at every tested position. Services like Gene2Rx accept this file format directly and can extract the pharmacogenetic variants to build your report.
You originally paid for ancestry and ethnicity estimates, but your raw data file is much more valuable than that. Pharmacogenetic insights are arguably the most medically actionable information in the file. It's information you've already paid for but haven't accessed yet.
Unlike 23andMe, which includes a basic pharmacogenetics section in their Health service, AncestryDNA doesn't offer any drug response reporting. To get pharmacogenetic insights from your Ancestry data, you need a third-party service that specializes in PGx analysis.
Your AncestryDNA raw data file contains the same core pharmacogenetic genes that clinical PGx labs test. Here's what can be extracted.
Determines how you process antidepressants, ADHD medications (atomoxetine), pain medications (codeine, tramadol), tamoxifen, and beta-blockers. Poor metabolizers (5-10% of people) get little to no benefit from codeine and may have excessive side effects from many antidepressants.
Affects SSRIs (sertraline, escitalopram), clopidogrel (Plavix), and proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole). About 30% of people carry variants that change how effectively these common drugs work.
Predicts your risk of muscle pain from statins, the most widely prescribed cholesterol medications. Knowing your status before starting a statin can help your doctor choose the right one and the right dose.
Critical for warfarin dosing. These genes together predict about 40-50% of the dose variation between patients. If you ever need a blood thinner, this information could be genuinely important for your safety.
The pharmacogenetic information in your AncestryDNA file is identical in nature to what you'd get from a clinical PGx test. The genotyping accuracy is comparable because AncestryDNA uses a clinical-grade chip manufactured by Illumina. The difference is purely in the interpretation layer. A raw data file is just a list of letters (A, C, G, T) at specific positions. A pharmacogenetic report translates those letters into metabolizer phenotypes and medication-specific guidance.
If you have AncestryDNA data, getting a pharmacogenetic report is one of the highest-value things you can do with it. It's especially worthwhile if you take any prescription medications, if you've experienced side effects or lack of response from medications, or if you want to be prepared with this information before future prescribing decisions. Since the data is already collected, the barrier is just running the analysis.
Learn how genetics may affect your response to these related medications:
Both platforms use high-quality Illumina genotyping chips and capture the core pharmacogenetic variants. The coverage is comparable for the main PGx genes. Gene2Rx works with both AncestryDNA and 23andMe data files.
Absolutely. Your DNA doesn't change, so data from any version of the AncestryDNA chip is usable. Older chip versions may have slightly different variant coverage, but the key pharmacogenetic positions have been included across versions.
AncestryDNA has focused its product on genealogy and ethnicity estimation rather than health reporting. 23andMe chose to add health features including a limited PGx section. Neither platform provides comprehensive pharmacogenetic reporting, which is why specialized services like Gene2Rx exist to fill that gap.
Find out how your DNA may influence your response to Sertraline and other medications with a Gene2Rx pharmacogenetics report.
Get Your Report Try Our Free Calculator