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+MyFamily Program with 23andMe Aims to Increase Awareness of TTR-Related Hereditary Amyloidosis in Families
September 17, 2019
Barry Greene
President, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
hATTR amyloidosis is a potentially devastating and life-threatening condition that may affect families, generation after generation. Due to the variety of ways the disease manifests and relative lack of awareness of the symptoms of this disease, even within families in which someone has hATTR amyloidosis, people often struggle for years to receive a proper diagnosis.
That's why we've worked with 23andMe, the leading consumer genetics company, to offer the +MyFamily Program, which provides free 23andMe Health + Ancestry kits to first-degree family members of 23andMe customers with a TTR variant detected in their Hereditary Amyloidosis (TTR-Related) Genetic Health Risk report. hATTR amyloidosis is an autosomal dominant disease, meaning that if you get the abnormal gene associated with the disease from only one parent, you can get the disease, making it highly hereditary. If a person has a genetic variant, each of their children has at least a 50 percent chance of having the variant.
The new program is part of an existing collaboration with 23andMe to raise awareness of this underdiagnosed hereditary condition. In April 2019, 23andMe released a new Genetic Health Risk report, supported in part by Alnylam, that looks at three of the most common TTR variants and provides customers with information on whether their genetics may place them at increased risk for TTR-related hereditary amyloidosis.
As part of the +myFamily program, 23andMe customers who have viewed their own Hereditary Amyloidosis (TTR-Related) report, opted in to participate in 23andMe Research, and have been identified as a carrier will have the opportunity to invite up to six first-degree family members (parent, sibling or child) to receive a free 23andMe Health + Ancestry kit. Family members who choose to participate in the +myFamily program can choose whether they wish to view their health reports, including their Hereditary Amyloidosis (TTR-Related) Genetic Health Risk report.
Our partners at 23andMe share our excitement for this program. Anne Wojcicki, CEO and co-founder of 23andMe said "By working with Alnylam to offer free kits to first-degree family members of carriers, we will give individuals the opportunity to learn about their risk, have more informed conversations with their healthcare providers, and have better outcomes.”
Alnylam and 23andMe share a strong belief in the role genetics plays in improving healthcare and managing diseases, particularly those that have profound impact on patient lives. We’re proud to build on our commitment to raising awareness and providing education about this rare disease by supporting the availability of tools like the 23andMe Hereditary Amyloidosis (TTR-Related) Genetic Health Risk report and the +myFamily program.
You can learn more about 23andMe and the Genetic Health Risk report here and the +My Family program here.
