The revolution in human genomics, still barely understood in the doctor’s office, is about to hit the street, at least for those able to pay about $1,000 for a glance at their entire genome.

The Icelandic company deCODE Genetics announced on Nov. 17, 2007 that it is now offering a service called deCODEme, which will assess a person’s genome for risk of common diseases, bodily traits like hair and eye color, and ancestral origins. Subscribers have to send in a scraping of cells from inside the cheek and a check for $985.

A similar service, using a smaller but custom-made analytic device, is being unveiled soon by 23andMe, a Google-financed company founded by Linda Avey, a biotechnology executive, and Anne Wojcicki, a health-care investor who is married to Sergey Brin, Google’s co-founder. The 23 in the company’s name refers to the 23 pairs of chromosomes in the human genome.

A third company, Navigenics, of Redwood Shores, Calif., is expected to focus on disease genes.

Unlike the present genetic testing and genetic genealogy companies, which look at a few specific genes, the new services will sample the whole human genome.

Many people may welcome the rich new trove of data about their hereditary make-up and ancestry, but genetic counselors are concerned that some people may find the information hard to handle, given that much of the current genetic knowledge is related to a person’s risk of developing common and often untreatable diseases.

Read the full story at the New York Times