The MyCode DNA sequencing program analyzes the DNA of consenting participants to help make healthcare better — for you, your family, our community and people around the world.

With the help of our participants, we’ve been able to study a broad range of health and disease.

Through a DNA sample, we can look for genes known to increase the risk of developing certain health conditions. This helps our healthcare providers diagnose medical conditions earlier — before symptoms even appear — and find new treatments or medications to manage these diseases.

More than 275,000 people have already signed up and our goal is to give every Geisinger patient the opportunity to participate.

Step 3: Next steps

Data is sent to the lab.

Your sample will be labeled with a unique study identification (ID) number, instead of your name or date of birth, and stored for research at our lab. Your sample may also be sent to our partners at Regeneron Genetics Center for sequencing all or part of your genome.

We are committed to keeping your data safe and secure. Information that links you to your ID number will be kept in a secure file that's protected by Geisinger.

Your DNA is analyzed for genetic changes.

In a small percentage of cases — about 2 percent — we discover that a participant has a genetic change that puts them at a higher risk for one of the known genetic conditions we test for. These conditions can be medically treated or managed and include certain cancers, like breast or ovarian cancer, and heart conditions, like familial hypercholesterolemia.

If a genetic change is detected in your sample, the information will be confirmed in a certified clinical laboratory before we inform you and your healthcare provider about the finding and place the information into your medical record. At that time, we’ll provide the opportunity to speak with a member of our genetics team and/or your healthcare provider about your result.