Question 1

What happens to my genetic data if Marrow goes out of business?

Accepted Answer

It is destroyed. It is never transferred, sold, or treated as a company asset. If Marrow is ever acquired, wound down, or enters bankruptcy, your genetic data and any remaining sample are destroyed rather than passed to a buyer or successor. We commit to this in writing in our Privacy Policy, and it is not something a future owner can quietly reverse. We are saying this plainly because the industry gave people a reason to ask. When a major consumer genetics company entered bankruptcy, the genetic data of millions of customers became an asset in the proceeding. We think that should never have been possible, so we removed the possibility.

Question 2

Do you sell my genetic data?

Accepted Answer

No. Not for money, not for research access, not for anything. We do not sell, license, trade, or share your genetic data with pharmaceutical companies, data brokers, advertisers, insurers, employers, or research partners. There is no opt-out buried in settings, because there is nothing to opt out of.

Question 3

What do you actually keep?

Accepted Answer

Your reports, and the account they live in. Not your raw genome. Once your reports are generated, the raw genetic file is deleted. We keep the reports so you can read them whenever you want, and we keep normal business records like your order and shipping details. Your physical sample is destroyed by the laboratory after analysis.

Question 4

If you delete my raw data, can I still unlock more reports later?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every report is generated up front. When your sample is analyzed we generate your entire report library at once, not just the panel you purchased. Unlocking more later is us giving you access to reports that already exist — it does not require your raw genome, and it does not require a new swab.

Question 5

Who at Marrow can see my results?

Accepted Answer

Almost no one, and only when you ask. Access is limited to what is needed to deliver your reports and answer a support request you have sent us. We do not browse customer results.

Question 6

What lab runs my sample?

Accepted Answer

Gene by Gene, Ltd. in Houston, Texas — a CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited US laboratory. CLIA #45D1102202. CAP #7212851. Laboratory Director: Feng Zhou, PhD, HCLD(ABB), MB(ASCP). Your sample is not sent overseas.

Question 7

What do CLIA and CAP actually mean?

Accepted Answer

CLIA is the US federal standard every clinical laboratory must meet to return results to a person. CAP accreditation is a voluntary additional standard from the College of American Pathologists, which inspects the laboratory on a recurring cycle. Together they cover how the lab runs, validates, and documents its testing.

Question 8

Is this FDA-approved?

Accepted Answer

No, and no at-home genetic report of this kind is. This is a laboratory-developed test performed in a CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited laboratory. That is a different regulatory pathway from FDA clearance. Any company telling you their consumer genetic report is "FDA-approved" is describing something else. We would rather tell you exactly what this is.

Question 9

Is a cheek swab as accurate as blood for genetics?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Your DNA is the same in both. Genetic testing reads the sequence you were born with, and that sequence is identical in cheek cells and blood cells. Blood is required for things that change — cholesterol, hormones, glucose. It is not required for genetics.

Question 10

Do my results expire?

Accepted Answer

No. Your genetics do not change, so you test once.

Question 11

Will this diagnose anything?

Accepted Answer

No. This is educational genetic information, not a diagnostic test. Everything in your reports is a predisposition — a tendency, based on common genetic variation that is found in large numbers of healthy people. A tendency is one input among thousands, alongside sleep, diet, activity, medication, environment, and the rest of your genome. It does not tell you that you have a condition, and it cannot rule one out.

Question 12

Will you tell me what supplements or medications to take?

Accepted Answer

No, deliberately. Marrow does not recommend, prescribe, or dose any supplement or medication. Where a report raises something worth discussing, it says so and tells you to bring it to a licensed clinician. Lifestyle suggestions like movement, sleep, and diet are included. Dosages are not, at any strength, for anything you swallow or inject. We made that choice on purpose.

Question 13

Can I show this to my doctor?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The reports are written to be readable by you and reviewable by a clinician, and they name the performing laboratory and its credentials.

Question 14

Am I going to find out something frightening?

Accepted Answer

These reports are about tendencies, not diagnoses, and they do not screen for the kind of rare high-risk findings people usually have in mind when they ask this. If a result raises a question, the report tells you to take it to a licensed provider rather than leaving you with it.

Question 15

How many reports do I get?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the package. Each package page lists exactly which reports are included and how many. Packages range from a single focused report to seven.

Question 16

What is actually in the Peptide Response report?

Accepted Answer

Genetic variants relevant to how your body may respond across 43 peptides in 11 categories, including recovery, metabolic response, cognition, and longevity.

Question 17

Will it tell me which peptide to take, or how much?

Accepted Answer

No. It reports how genetic variants may relate to response. It does not recommend a peptide, and it never gives a dose. Peptides are a decision for you and a licensed provider — this is information to bring to that conversation, not a substitute for it.

Question 18

I already spend a lot on peptides. Is this going to tell me I wasted money?

Accepted Answer

It may tell you your genetics relate favourably or unfavourably to something you are already using. That is the point of testing. A tendency is not a verdict on whether something worked for you — response depends on dose, timing, sourcing, and everything else about you. It is one more input, and you would probably rather have it.

Question 19

Does ordering this create a medical record of peptide use?

Accepted Answer

No. Marrow is not a healthcare provider, this is not a clinical encounter, and ordering does not create a medical record or a prescription record. Your order is a retail purchase. What you do with the information is yours.

Question 20

Is this the same as the other packages?

Accepted Answer

The Peptide Response report is a single focused report. Most other Marrow packages contain multiple reports. Each package page lists its exact contents.

Question 21

How long does the whole thing take?

Accepted Answer

Typically 3–5 weeks from order to report. Order to kit dispatched: within 1 business day. Delivery to you: 2–5 business days. You swab and mail it back: about 2 minutes. Return transit to the lab: 2–5 business days. Laboratory processing and your report: 2–4 weeks. Genotyping is not a same-week process. Any company promising a DNA result in 48 hours is describing a different kind of test.

Question 22

What does shipping cost?

Accepted Answer

Nothing, in either direction. The prepaid return mailer is in the box. The price on the product page is the price you pay.

Question 23

Where do you ship?

Accepted Answer

All 50 US states and Washington DC. We do not ship internationally, and we cannot accept orders from New York, New Jersey, or Rhode Island due to state restrictions on direct-to-consumer laboratory testing.

Question 24

Do I need to do anything special before swabbing?

Accepted Answer

No fasting and no appointment. The kit includes instructions. Your sample is stable at room temperature — no need to refrigerate it or rush to the post office. Keep it out of direct sunlight and out of a hot car, and mail it back when convenient.

Question 25

What if my sample fails?

Accepted Answer

We re-run it at no cost, or refund you in full — your choice, not ours. The same applies if your kit arrives damaged or never arrives at all.

Question 26

Is this a subscription?

Accepted Answer

No. One purchase. Your genetics do not change, so there is nothing to renew.

Frequently asked questions

Your DNA and your data

Accuracy and the laboratory

What you actually get

Peptide Response

Ordering, shipping, and refunds