High-intent answers
Grouped by topic. Every answer is specific and honest.
Already have data and want to start now
Start here if you already have raw files from WeGene, BGI, 23andMe, or another provider.
Common question
Because those products solve testing and report delivery. Fern Gene solves what can keep happening after the raw file is back in your hands. These two layers stack instead of replacing each other.
Read the answerAlready have data
Yes. If the raw file is still in your hands and the format is usable, Fern Gene can pick up the long-term value from there.
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23andMe lets you download your own raw genomic data. The whole process takes about 2 minutes. You will receive a .txt file that can be imported directly into Fern Gene.
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BGI users can obtain raw data files (VCF or gVCF format) through three channels: the BGI App, customer service, or the hospital where testing was done. You have the right to access your own genomic data.
Read the answerAlready have data
WeGene supports downloading raw data directly in the app. After downloading, you can import it into Fern Gene for local analysis.
Read the answerPrivacy
Not by default. The main Fern Gene path keeps raw genome files on your own device, runs analysis locally, and keeps a more compact encrypted profile instead of the raw file itself.
Read the answerCompatibility
Phones start with txt, VCF, gVCF, and .genomesprofile. Heavier BAM and CRAM flows are better on desktop. The main phase-1 path starts with iPhone, Android already passed real-device validation, and macOS / Windows are better for desktop import and heavier files.
Read the answerLong-term value
Your genome changes very little, but the interpretation keeps changing. Fern Gene does not repeat the test. It keeps attaching newer interpretation to the same file.
Read the answerNeed sequencing first? Choose the lab correctly
Start with raw-file delivery and retrieval, not with the polish of the bundled report.
Key concept
Because the value of sequencing should not end with the first report. Only when the raw file comes back under your control can that test stay useful later.
Read the answerNeed sequencing first
The most important decision is not how polished the bundled report looks. It is whether you will really be able to keep standard raw files afterwards.
Read the answerRaw files
If you already tested, are planning for marriage or pregnancy, care about family history, expect longer-term medication decisions, or want future interpretation, you should care more about keeping the raw files in your own hands.
Read the answerMarriage, pregnancy planning, family history, and long-term health
Start here if your questions are about partner review, family history, longer-term risk, or medication differences.
Coverage
There are already 17 result areas live today. The first ones most people feel are medication, health risk, hereditary disease, WGS specialty review, and nutrition.
Read the answerMarriage / pregnancy planning
It lets two people run a joint review without exchanging raw genome files, which makes it more practical for marriage, pregnancy planning, and family-history decisions.
Read the answerFamily history
Because family history becomes more useful when it sits next to your raw files. Fern Gene is not making the diagnosis for you. It helps keep the directions worth confirming in front of you.
Read the answerMedication
Because the same medication can be absorbed, processed, and tolerated differently from one person to the next. Fern Gene works best when those differences need to stay visible over time.
Read the answerLong-term risk
Because a checkup answers what is happening now. Genetics is more about which directions are worth keeping visible over time. These two views work on different time scales.
Read the answerInclusivity
Yes. Family accounts do not require marriage. Joint carrier screening, assisted reproduction support, and HRT pharmacogenomics are all covered. All features are fully open to diverse family structures.
Read the answerStart with the basic concepts
If you are still getting clear on SNPs, raw files, and why one test can stay useful, begin here.
Basic question
A SNP is a common single-letter difference in the genome. One SNP does not define your life, but many SNPs together can help explain medication response, risk, and metabolism.
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