Topic 1) You all should be aware that the Wells DNA study which started at
Brigham Young University is swinging over to Relative Genetics, a testing
lab now used by BYU and staffed by people who used to work at BYU.
The other two labs out there are FamilyTreeDNA and Oxford Ancestors.
Oxford Ancestors only includes 10 markers in their testing and compared to
the others is very pricey. FamilyTreeDNA tests for either 12 or 21
depending on what one is willing to pay.
Ancestry.com allied itself with Relative Genetics some months ago and began
offering their 23 marker test at a "special" price of $197 (normal $219).
Published rates at Relative Genetics were quite a bit higher unless one is
involved in a group study for which the best advertised rate has been $180
($175 per participant plus $500 as a management fee which adds $5 over a
group of 100).
Meanwhile, FamilyTreeDNA appears to be offering pricing at about $175 also
for group testing.
Today we got wind that FamilyTreeDNA has joined with
Genealogy.com to offer
DNA testing for the 21 marker test for
$159.98 (or maybe as one received $199? with a "temporary" special at
$149.98) and their 12 marker test for $119.98 (can anyone tell me why they
don't just say $160 and $120).
I believe this is just one more round in some additional price decreases.
I was asked by Relative Genetics to keep the price they quoted me as
confidential. I can only tell you it is slightly better than their quoted
price above and in light of the new pricing from
Genealogy.com using
FamilyTreeDNA I have to believe that Relative Genetics will have to come
down still more on all their pricing.
Ancestry.com is sure to put pressure
on them to let them be competetive with
Genealogy.com
So, we are going to sit tight for a bit until we see where the dust settles
out despite the fact that all of us are very anxious to get on with this
project.
Topic 2) (already posted on the UK list). We have become aware that some
folks on limited budgets are going to have problems participating
especially in the UK where pensions are not nortorious for being overly
generous. A few of you have sent me some contributions to be used to help
out there, but we probably are going to need to do more.
Today Dick Wells suggested that we approach some corporations and
businesses run by Wells folks and see if we can't get them to provide some
corporate support for the project. I think it is an excellent idea and one
which I will follow up on. Now, if any of you know of people named Wells,
relatives or not, who run or own corporations with the Wells name, where
you think they might be receptive to this, please point them out to me.
Otherwise I will just have to go from "door to door" so to speak.
If there are any of you out there who would like to lend a hand in this
effort, please contact me off the lists.
Hopefully we can help underwrite the testing for interested parties who
just can't justify the outlay. This may be critical where we hope to get
important participation in the UK to help all of us better find out roots.
Orin R. Wells
Wells Family Research Association
P. O. Box 5427
Kent, Washington 98064-5427
<OrinWells(a)wells.org>
http://www.rootsweb.com/~wellsfam/wfrahome.html
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