upbeat about the promise of this business , saying that consumers ' ability to gauge how their genes influence risk for diseases like diabetes and cancer could revolutionize health care . `` The ability to treat disease is driven by the ability to assess risk . As knowledge builds up , it will increasingly become an unacceptable position not to have your genetic profile , '' says Kari Stefansson , chief executive of DeCode , one of the first firms to offer scans that allow individuals to examine their genomes . But analysts and researchers are a bit more cautious . While there 's plenty of potential for retail genomics , they say the budding market is still in its early stages . Have you bought a retail DNA test ? Share your story on iReport Companies that offer personal DNA analysis have attracted the interest of individuals who are highly concerned with their health , as well as so-called early adopters who are enamored with new technologies . But the outlook for business opportunities is still hazy , mostly because there is n't a full understanding of the benefit of these tests in terms of identifying how and why
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- If you want to peer inside your DNA , there 's no shortage of companies offering avenues for doing so these days . A cheek swab or saliva sample is all firms need to scan your genes . But how much health-relevant information can they provide ? The opportunity to have your complete genome mapped was recently auctioned on eBay -- with the winning bidder shelling out a cool $ 68,000 in the auction , which ended Monday . However , more cost-conscious consumers are more likely to send in a saliva sample to a company like Google-backed 23andMe , which will scan and analyze genetic information for about $ 400 . The costs and services these firms offer vary widely , but they 're basically chasing the same market : the customer who is curious about what their genes can tell them about themselves . Welcome to the world of personal genomics . A spate of firms -- from 23andMe and fellow Silicon Valley start-up Navigenics to Cambridge , Mass.-based Knome and Iceland 's DeCode Genetics -- are vying to tap the growing interest in DNA analysis among individuals . They 're