Test kit and sample policy

1. About this policy

This policy explains how our at-home test kits work, from activating your kit to receiving your results. It also explains what happens to your sample and what we do if something goes wrong. It applies to test kits bought from Phenome Longevity Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (company number 13926236), whose registered office is at The Shard, 32 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9SG, United Kingdom ("we", "us").

This policy forms part of our Terms of Sale. Please also read our Shipping and Delivery Policy, our Returns, Cancellations and Refunds Policy and our Privacy Policy.

2. The tests we offer

• Comprehensive Genomic Test: saliva sample; whole genome sequencing.
• Carrier Screening Test: saliva sample.
• Newborn Screening Test: sample from a baby, provided by a parent or legal guardian .
• Sports Performance Test: saliva sample.
• Gut Microbiome Test: stool sample; shotgun metagenomics. Only bacterial DNA is analysed; no human DNA is analysed.
• Oral Microbiome Test: saliva sample. Only bacterial DNA is analysed.

The price of each kit includes laboratory analysis, your report in the Phenome Longevity app, and prepaid return packaging for your sample (in the UK and internationally).

3. Wellness and information only

Our tests are for wellness and information only. They are not diagnostic. They do not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and they are not a substitute for advice from a doctor or other healthcare professional.

No laboratory test is 100% accurate. Results can be affected by how a sample is collected, by the limits of current science and by other factors. Please do not make medical decisions, or stop or change any treatment, based only on your results. If you have any health concern, or if your results worry you, please talk to a doctor.

4. Who can take a test

• Adults only: our tests are for adults aged 18 and over.
• Newborn Screening Test: this is the only exception. Only a parent or legal guardian can buy and activate it. The parent or legal guardian provides the baby's sample, gives consent on the baby's behalf, and holds the account and the results.
• Buying for someone else: you can buy a kit as a gift or for another adult. Each person must register their own kit under their own account, using their own email address. Results are only available to the person who registered the kit.
• Consent: never collect a sample from, or test, another person without their consent. In the UK, analysing someone’s DNA without their consent is a criminal offence. Each kit must be activated and used by the person whose sample it is.

5. Activating your kit before you collect your sample

You must activate your kit before you collect your sample. Activation links the unique code on your kit to your account, so that the laboratory can match your sample to you and we can send your results to the right person.

To activate your kit, open the Phenome Longevity app (iOS and Android) or go to phenomeportal.org/activate, and follow the steps using the code in your kit.

Samples from kits that have not been activated cannot be matched to a person and may not be processed.

6. Collecting and posting your sample

Your kit contains step-by-step instructions. Please read them fully before you start. The key rules are:

• Follow the instructions in your kit carefully, including any rules about what to avoid before collecting a saliva sample.
• Collect your sample only when you are ready to post it.
• Post your sample as soon as possible after you collect it. Microbiome samples (gut and oral) must be posted within 12 hours of collection.
• Post your sample on a Monday or Tuesday where possible, so that it does not wait in the postal system over a weekend.
• Use only the prepaid return packaging provided, and take it to a post office.

More detail on returning samples, including from outside the UK, is in our Shipping and Delivery Policy.

7. Kit expiry date

Each kit can be used until the expiry date printed on its packaging. This is typically two years from purchase. Please check the date before you collect your sample.

The laboratory may not be able to process samples collected with an expired kit. If your kit has expired, please contact us before collecting a sample.

8. What happens at the laboratory

Your sample is analysed by accredited laboratories that meet ISO 15189, the international standard for medical laboratories. Once analysis is complete, your report is reviewed by a clinician before it is released to you.

9. Your results

• Timing: results are typically ready 2 to 4 weeks after the laboratory receives your sample. This is an estimate and is not guaranteed. Some samples take longer, for example if a test has to be repeated.
• Where: your results are available only in the Phenome Longevity app, in your secure account.
• Notification: we will email you when your results are ready.
• Never by email: we never send results by email. If you receive an email that claims to contain your results, please do not open any attachment and tell us at hello@phenomelongevity.com.

You do not need a subscription to see the results of a test you have bought.

10. If your sample cannot be processed

Occasionally the laboratory cannot process a sample. If this happens, we will tell you and explain what to do next.

To reduce the chance of a failed sample, please follow the instructions in your kit and the rules in section 6.

11. Lost samples and kits

If your kit is lost on its way to you, or your sample is lost on its way to the laboratory, and this is confirmed by tracking, we will send you a replacement kit free of charge. Please keep your proof of postage until you know the laboratory has received your sample. If you think your kit or sample has been lost, contact us at hello@phenomelongevity.com.

12. Unexpected or significant findings

Some tests, especially genetic tests, can reveal information you did not expect. For example, you may learn that you are a carrier of a genetic condition, or that you have a genetic variant linked to a higher risk of a health condition. This information may also be relevant to your blood relatives.

Please think about this before you take a test. If your results include a finding like this, we recommend that you:

• speak to a genetic counsellor, who can explain what the finding means; and
• see your doctor, who can decide whether any confirmatory testing or follow-up is needed.

All findings are shown in your report in the app. We do not contact you separately about individual findings. If your report includes a significant finding, you can book a genetic counselling session free of charge to talk it through.

Carrier results can be important if you are planning a family. We recommend speaking to a genetic counsellor about your Carrier Screening results, especially if you are found to be a carrier.

13. Genetic counselling and consultations

You can book an optional genetic counselling session or consultation online. Sessions last 30 minutes and may be paid. Genetic counselling helps you understand and interpret your results. It is education and interpretation, not medical treatment.

You can cancel or rearrange a session for a full refund if you give us at least 48 hours' notice. We do not refund late cancellations or missed appointments.

14. What happens to your sample and data

After analysis, your sample is securely destroyed, unless you have given separate consent for it to be kept for further testing or research. Laboratory and analytical data are kept for 5 years for quality and audit purposes.

Your genetic, microbiome and health data are special category personal data. We usually process them with your explicit consent. In a small number of cases, such as keeping laboratory records for quality and audit, we rely on another legal condition, as explained in our Privacy Policy. We never sell, rent or trade your data, and we never share it with employers or insurers. Our Privacy Policy explains how we use and protect your data, how long we keep it and your rights, including how to ask us to delete your account.

15. Research participation

Taking part in research is entirely optional and separate from buying a test. We will only use your sample or data for research if you give separate opt-in consent. Research data is pseudonymised. You can withdraw your consent at any time in the app or by emailing our Data Protection Officer at info@phenomelongevity.com, and this will not affect your results or your use of our services. See our Privacy Policy for details.

16. Refunds and cancellations

In summary:

• You can cancel your order for a full refund before it is dispatched.
• You can return a test kit that is unopened and has not been activated within 30 days of delivery, for a full refund including standard delivery. Return postage is free.
• Once a kit’s seal has been broken, we cannot offer a refund if you change your mind, because it is a sealed health product. When you activate your kit, we ask you to confirm that you want laboratory analysis to start as soon as your sample arrives, and that you understand you will lose your right to cancel once analysis is complete.
• Once your sample reaches the laboratory, the analysis cannot be cancelled.

These points do not affect your legal rights if a kit is faulty. Full details, including your statutory right to cancel, are in our Returns, Cancellations and Refunds Policy.

17. Contact us

If you have any questions about your test kit, sample or results, please email hello@phenomelongevity.com. Our team answers within one working day.

Phenome Longevity Ltd, The Shard, 32 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9SG, United Kingdom.

If you are not happy with our service, please see our Complaints Policy.