Why we grade every result A-D, and show you the D’s

A DNA report that sounds equally confident about a replicated clinical finding and a single small study isn’t being helpful. It’s being dishonest by omission.

Genetics is not one thing. Some associations, like how your CYP2C19 genotype changes the way you activate the blood-thinner clopidogrel, are backed by large studies, replication, and formal clinical guidelines (CPIC). Others, like the pop idea that one COMT variant makes you a “warrior” or a “worrier”, come from small, inconsistent studies that were never meant to carry that weight.

Most consumer reports flatten that difference. Everything is presented in the same confident voice, which quietly teaches you to trust the weak claims as much as the strong ones. We do the opposite: every result carries a letter grade for the strength of the evidence behind it, separate from what the result says about you.

What the letters mean

A, large, replicated studies or a clinical guideline. B, several consistent studies, not yet guideline-grade. C, a few small or mixed studies. D, single small studies or popular myths, shown for curiosity and clearly labeled.

We keep the D’s in on purpose. Hiding them would make the report look more authoritative than it is, and the entire point of Verinome is that you can trust it precisely because it tells you where not to.

See the full A-D rubric and a sample report.