While prowling around my newsletters looking for a hook for my next newspaper column I ran across the blog article below on "Genetic Genealogy Companies Under Fire" on the Family Tree magazine blog. See http://blog.familytreemagazine.com/insider/Genetic+Genealogy+Companies+Under+Fire+.aspx
Now I am not going to beat up on Diane who posted the piece on the Family Tree Blog. I'm aiming at the fools at the ASHG and their statement issued at http://www.ashg.org/pdf/ASHGAncestryTestingStatement_FINAL.pdf
Personally to stereotype all DNA testing companies by saying that they "aren't doing enough to make sure you understand the limitations and implications of DNA testing," is misleading at least and intellectually dishonest at best.
In their press release at the link above they made the following assumption,
"Ancestry testing is done on an individual basis, in an attempt to determine the ancestral origins or population(s) of origin for a person or family."
It is obvious these intellectuals do not have a clue what the majority of genealogist use DNA testing for. Like a majority of the genealogist who test, I was looking for guidance through Y-DNA to give me research guidance on my Vanhorn ancestoral line (narrowing down the candidates to advance my research). Do I care about haplogroups - nope. I understand the limitations.
If there are companies out there selling that sort of testing, I support the ASHG in their concerns. But to stereotype all DNA testing companies and genealogist in their use of DNA testing as they did in their press release, you folks need to get a grip and issue an apology.
I did my DNA testing with FamilytreeDNA
