myDNA is an Australian company that aims to help people live healthier and happier lives by harnessing the power of their DNA. We’re based in Melbourne, Australia but operate globally, in over 15 countries worldwide. With a rich history in genetics and science, our team of qualified clinical experts hope to help bridge the gap between scientific research and your everyday lifestyle.
We’ve invested over $15 million into our own proprietary DNA analysis and interpretation engine that allows us to generate personalised plans and advanced reports from simple swab samples. In addition to this, we’ve also put $2 million towards our very own, NATA-accredited DNA analysis laboratory. Thanks to our rigorous standards and quality control, we’re proud to boast an accuracy of over 99.9% in our results.
Genetics is in DNA, and it’s at the core of what we do every day.
Our founder, Associate Professor Les Sheffield, became Australia’s first qualified clinical geneticist in 1976 and since then his passion for health and genetics has only grown. He founded myDNA in 2007 with a clear vision: to eradicate the guesswork from prescribing medications.
Originally called the DNA Dose Test, the myDNA Medications testing has been helping healthcare professionals find the right medication and dose for their patients for over a decade – often with life-changing benefits. Since 2007, myDNA has continued to expand into other areas of health and wellness as new scientific evidence became available.
What do we offer?
We offer solutions in two main areas: nutrigenomics (how your genes are related to nutrition and exercise) and pharmacogenomics (how your genes are related to your body’s reaction to medications). Both these areas help you and your healthcare professional cut out the guesswork and find what healthcare regimes will work best for you.
Our nutrigenomics testing analyses certain genes with strong links to factors like fat storage, weight retention, appetite, and fat burning. From this, we’re able to determine which food types and what kind of diet is most likely to help you achieve your goals – whether you want to lose weight, maintain weight, or even gain weight in a healthy manner. Additionally, we analyse genes that affect your fitness, including stamina, muscle power, and injury risk. This allows us to suggest workouts and specific exercises that will help you to workout in a safe, effective, and efficient manner.
Pharmacogenomics testing analyses how your genes affect your ability to metabolise certain medications. Different people absorb medications at different rates, meaning the same dose won’t have the same effects on each person. Some people may metabolise medications too quickly, rendering the dose less effective, while others may process the medication too quickly, increasing the chance of side effects. The information in these reports can help your doctor remove the trial-and-error from finding the right dose.
What’s the evidence behind your testing?
Our clinical experts are constantly reviewing scientific literature, looking for strong, peer-reviewed evidence to help generate our reports. We have a list of references available on our site. We also check all our research against our evidence rating scale: a system based on the guidelines set by the Oxford Centre of Evidence Based Medicine that judge the strength of a piece of evidence. Every piece of research we use must achieve at least a 3-star rating on this scale.
Our team of clinical experts are all highly qualified, with high-level academic accreditations across various fields of pharmacy, medicine, and genetics. Together, they have over 120+ years of experience, have reviewed 5000+ papers, and published 100+ papers.
We’re trusted by and have accreditation from numerous global regulators, including NATA, the FDA, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, Global Alliance for Genetics and Health, and the Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. We work with some of the largest hospitals, fitness centres, laboratories, and universities worldwide.
Is it safe and secure?
All our tests are very safe and non-invasive; all that’s required is a 1-minute cheek swab you can do at home.
Unlike other DNA companies, we believe that your data should remain your property. We store all our data on secure and encrypted servers and will never share it with anyone without your express permission. What’s more, we only analyse the genes required to generate our reports, meaning your sample cannot be used to identify you in any way, and has no bearing on your insurance policies, including health and life insurance.
We store all samples in a vault at -84 degrees Celsius in case we need to re-analyse them later to bring you more insights. However, if you do not wish for your sample to be retained, you have the right to ask for it to be destroyed at any time.
You can check out our terms and conditions and privacy policy for more information.
If you’d still like to know more, you can read more about our heritage, team of experts, products and services on our website.