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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2007-09 > 1189727072


From:
Subject: Re: [DNA] Ancestry.com
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2007 19:44:32 EDT


In a message dated 9/13/2007 2:35:26 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
writes:

> Ann wrote: There is no connection between Sorenson Molecular Genealogy
> Foundation (SMGF)and Ancestry.com.
> ______________________________________________________
>
> Ann and List:
>
> Is that really true? We know that Sorenson Genomics and Relative Genetics
> are one, and now merged with Ancestry.com to create AncestryDNA.

To the best of my knowledge. I'll try to clarify the relationships once
again, as I believe your statements are purely speculative.

Sorenson Genomics is a commercial outfit that does the actual DNA testing.
Many independent companies and organizations contract out some or all of their
testing to Sorenson Genomics. These include DNA Heritage, African Ancestry,
Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF), GeneTree, Trace Genetics, and
Relative Genetics. Relative Genetics was formerly a "business unit" of Sorenson
Genomics, and expected to turn a profit after expenses, but it was not
synonymous with Sorenson Genomics. I presume that RG kept its own profit/loss account
books.

There is no "merger" between Sorenson Genomics and Ancestry.com. Ancestry is
now contracting out actual DNA testing to Sorenson Genomics, just like the
companies I listed in the paragraph above.

SMGF is an independent non-profit organization, operating under IRS
regulations. When it sends samples to Sorenson Genomics for testing, they are bar-coded
and anonymous. SMGF is funded by James LeVoy Sorenson, a very wealthy
self-educated and prolific inventor who also supports many other charitable
endeavors.

SMGF also voluntarily sought approval for human subjects research from the
Western Institutional Review Board (WIRB) for its methods and procedures. That's
a rather cumbersome process, involving annual reviews and so forth, but they
did to reassure people they were volunteering to participate in a legitimate
endeavor. Part of the procedures mandated by the WIRB are the privacy
limitations that aggravate people who want to get in touch with their matches in the
SMGF database. Sharing data with Ancestry.com would violate agreements with
volunteers as well as WIRB guidelines.

Ann Turner








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