Assessment · Clinical genomics
Whole genome sequencing (WGS) — clinical genomics in Stockholm
MediBalans whole genome sequencing is a clinical analysis, not a consumer genetic test. This page describes what that difference consists of, which laboratory performs the analysis, and what a genetic finding can — and cannot — answer.
Clinical assessment by a licensed physician in Stockholm. No referral required. The 45-minute initial consultation is free.
4.8 ★★★★★ Patient reviews on Reco Based on verified patient reviews Reco.seVerifiedShort answer: whole genome sequencing reads the sequence of the genome instead of calculating it from a selection of positions. The MediBalans specification for the analysis is 30× deep sequencing (WGS), and the analysis is carried out through the clinic's strategic partnership with Blueprint Genetics in Helsinki, Finland — an accredited clinical genetic testing laboratory. The analysis is ordered after a clinical consultation, never as a standard package, and the result is interpreted by a physician alongside the rest of your assessment.
Clinical genomics vs. cheap genetic tests
Consumer tests sold directly to individuals are typically built on genotyping arrays. An array reads a few hundred thousand preselected positions in the genome and infers the rest statistically, from how variants tend to be inherited together. It is a comparatively inexpensive method and it serves its purpose for ancestry and curiosity — but it is not designed for medical decisions. The providers are generally not accredited clinical laboratories, and they state themselves that the results are not intended to inform care.
Clinical sequencing works differently. The laboratory reads the sequence itself instead of inferring it. The work runs under a documented quality management system — ISO 15189, CAP and CLIA — with validated analytical methods and confirmatory testing where required, and the result is delivered as a report intended for clinical interpretation by a physician.
The difference is therefore not primarily "more data". It lies in what is actually measured, in the quality framework the measurement runs under, and in what the report is intended to be used for.
Genetics shows predisposition, not a current disease state. A finding is always interpreted alongside history, symptoms, function and other clinical data, and on its own it determines no action. We make no comparison of treatment outcomes between the methods — the difference described above concerns measurement and quality systems, not promised results.
The laboratory: Blueprint Genetics
MediBalans has a strategic partnership with Blueprint Genetics in Helsinki, Finland — a clinical genetic testing laboratory used by hospitals and research centres.
- CLIA-certified (#99D2092375).
- Accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP #9257331).
- Accredited by FINAS, the Finnish Accreditation Service, as laboratory T292 to SFS-EN ISO 15189:2022. In 2016 Blueprint Genetics was the first laboratory to receive ISO 15189 accreditation for NGS-based genetic testing. The accreditation covers the process from sample arrival to clinical interpretation and is valid through 2 February 2028.
The laboratory's accreditations describe the laboratory's quality system. They are not a statement about MediBalans' clinical assessments, and not a promise of what the analysis will show in your case.
What the analysis gives
Scope is decided in the consultation, from the clinical question. What follows is what the data can describe — not what you will be told.
| Area | What the data can describe | How it is used clinically |
|---|---|---|
| Methylation and cofactors | Variants in the methylation pathways, for example MTHFR, MTRR and MTR | Choice of form and dose of folate, B12 and cofactors — see MethylDetox |
| Detoxification and oxidative load | Variants in COMT, the GST genes and SOD genes | Input to how load and recovery are assessed clinically |
| Pharmacogenomics | Variants affecting how medicines are metabolised | Input to a medication review, together with the prescribing physician |
| Nutrition-related variants | Variants affecting the uptake and turnover of individual nutrients | Interpreted against measured status, for example cellular nutrient analysis |
What the analysis does not answer
- It makes no diagnosis. A variant is a predisposition, not a disease state.
- A normal result does not exclude disease, and a divergent finding does not mean something will happen.
- It does not replace established diagnostics, emergency care or your regular healthcare.
- It does not show how you will respond to a treatment, and we promise no outcome.
- It is not ordered when the result cannot change what should be done next.
For acute or life-threatening symptoms in Sweden call 112. For medical advice, contact 1177. How the clinic moves from a clinical question to an ordered analysis is described in the investigation protocol.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a cheap consumer genetic test and clinical whole genome sequencing?
Consumer tests are typically built on genotyping arrays: they read a few hundred thousand preselected positions and infer the rest statistically. The method is inexpensive, the providers are generally not accredited clinical laboratories, and the results are not intended to support medical decisions. Clinical sequencing reads the sequence itself rather than inferring it, runs under a documented quality management system with validated methods and confirmatory testing, and produces a report intended for clinical interpretation by a physician.
Which laboratory performs the analysis?
MediBalans has a strategic partnership with Blueprint Genetics in Helsinki, Finland — a clinical genetic testing laboratory used by hospitals and research centres. The laboratory is CLIA-certified (#99D2092375), accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP #9257331) and accredited by FINAS, the Finnish Accreditation Service, as laboratory T292 to SFS-EN ISO 15189:2022. The accreditation covers the process from sample arrival to clinical interpretation and is valid through 2 February 2028.
What can a genetic finding not answer?
Genetics shows predisposition, not a current disease state. A variant says nothing about when, whether or how strongly something manifests, and on its own it establishes neither a diagnosis nor a treatment. A finding is always interpreted alongside history, symptoms, function and other clinical data, and a normal result does not exclude disease.
How does it work, and do I need a referral?
No referral is required. The analysis is ordered after a clinical consultation where the question is formulated and the scope decided — we do not order sequencing without a question the answer could change. Sampling is arranged through the clinic, the analysis is performed at the laboratory, and the result is reviewed by a physician alongside the rest of your assessment.
Start with a review
Whole genome sequencing is ordered after a clinical consultation, not before. The initial consultation is free, lasts 45 minutes and requires no referral.
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