Frequently Asked Questions

Helix offers a broad menu of genomic tests including hereditary cancer screening, cardiovascular genetics, pharmacogenomics, carrier screening, and proactive health screening panels — all powered by our Exome+ assay.

Providers can order Helix tests through our online portal or directly via integrated EHR workflows. Our team can help set up ordering pathways tailored to your health system.

After you provide your sample, it is sent to our CAP-accredited, CLIA-certified lab where your DNA is extracted and sequenced using our Exome+ assay. Results are typically available within 2–4 weeks.

Most test results are available within 2–4 weeks from the time your sample arrives at our laboratory. Your ordering provider will be notified when results are ready.

Yes. Helix's Sequence Once, Query Often approach means your exome data is stored securely, enabling additional analyses from the same sample without re-collection.

To provide a sample, please follow the instructions in either your "Next Steps" email from Helix or the "Next Steps" message in your online health account or patient portal (such as MyChart). Available labs vary by research program. Some locations may offer walk-in appointments, while others require advance scheduling. If the available locations are inaccessible to you, please email the study team (address in the Next Steps instructions) to see if you qualify for an at-home collection kit. Important: If you choose to visit a lab, plan for your appointment to take about 15 minutes. Please do not provide a blood sample within 30 days of a blood transfusion or receiving blood products. If you provide a saliva sample, do not eat, drink, smoke or chew gum for 30 minutes beforehand. These activities will impact our ability to sequence your DNA and you might need to provide an additional sample.

Yes. If the available locations are inaccessible to you, please email the study team to see if you qualify for an at-home collection kit.

Kit not received: At-home collection kits are sent to the address on file in your online health account or patient portal (such as MyChart). To track your package, refer to the USPS tracking information located in your shipping confirmation email. If you haven’t received your kit within 10 days of shipment, verify the address is correct. If the address is incorrect, please contact the study team for assistance. You can find their contact information by clicking 'Partner Page' next to your health system’s logo here. Expired kit: Each collection kit has an expiration date located on the tube. If your kit has expired, you will need to collect another sample as your current sample will not be able to complete sequencing. Please contact Customer Support for assistance by filling out the contact form here on the website or calling (844) 211-2070. Our hours are Monday to Friday, 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM Pacific. Damaged kit: If your kit arrives damaged and you are unable to collect your sample, email a photo of the kit to support@helix.com for assistance.

It typically takes 3 to 5 business days for Helix to receive your sample. You will receive an email notification from Helix once your sample arrives at the lab. Additionally, a green checkmark will appear under "Sample Received" in the DNA Sample Status tracker within your Helix account. To create a Helix account, please visit: https://registration.helix.com/

Results are delivered via our secure provider portal and can be integrated directly into major EHR systems including Epic and Cerner through HL7/FHIR interfaces.

You can access your results in two ways: Helix Account: Helix will email you when your results are ready. Once you log into your Helix Account, you will see different tiles for Ancestry, Traits, and Health results. Click the arrows in the blue circles to view your results. Medical Record: You will receive a notification when your Health results are returned to your medical record. Log into your online health account or patient portal (such as MyChart) and navigate to the Test Results section. Please note that your Ancestry and Traits results are not included in your medical record. If you are looking for your Ancestry & Traits results: These results are available once your sample has completed sequencing. During the account creation process, you will need to accept the Helix Authorization. If you created your Helix Account after receiving notification that your results were ready, please allow up to 24 hours for your Ancestry and Traits results to appear. Your Health results may appear first. Need to create a Helix Account? https://registration.helix.com/

Absolutely. Your results can be shared directly with any healthcare provider. You can grant access through the Helix portal or request a copy of your report.

A sample may not meet our quality assurance standards and cannot be sequenced for several reasons. In most cases, collecting another sample can resolve the issue. If you provided a saliva sample, here are some common reasons why it could fail sequencing: Excessive bacteria or contaminants: Too much bacteria or food particles in saliva samples will impact sequencing. Avoid eating or drinking 30 minutes before providing a saliva sample. Incorrect volume: Providing too little or too much saliva can lead to failure. Please follow the instructions and fill the collection tube to the specified marking. White blood cell issues: Certain conditions or treatments (e.g., chemotherapy, bone marrow transplant, hematological cancer) affecting white blood cells, which contain DNA, can prevent sequencing. DNA variations: Underlying DNA variations, like an abnormal number of chromosomes, can cause sample failure. Important: The Helix lab process is not intended to identify or diagnose the reasons why a sample fails. If your sample doesn’t pass our quality processes, we will let you know that it cannot be sequenced and request a new sample.

The time it takes to receive your results may vary. From when your sample reaches the Helix lab, it will typically take 2 to 4 weeks to receive your results if this is your first test with Helix. If you have been sequenced before, your results can typically be returned much faster. Please see our full test menu and the associated first and re-order test turnaround times for more details: www.helix.com/providers#test-menu If you provided your sample more than 6 weeks ago and have not yet received your results, please contact Customer Support for help. You can reach us via the contact us form here on our website or by calling (844) 211-2070. Our hours are Monday to Friday, 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM Pacific.

At this time, downloading or receiving a hard copy of your results via mail is not an option. You can print your results by opening the desired results webpage in your Helix Account and using the File > Print command.

Your health results are automatically returned to your health system’s medical record. Both you and your healthcare provider can access these results as you would any other lab results. There's no need to share a copy of the health results you see in your Helix Account.

The Tier One Population Screen identifies inherited risk factors for three conditions. It's important to understand that these results indicate your risk of developing these conditions, not whether you currently have them. Conversely, you might already be diagnosed with one of these conditions, even if your genetic profile doesn't show an elevated risk. For further questions about your health results and next steps, please consult your healthcare provider.

Our ancestry and trait results are statistical predictions based on DNA patterns. These results do not guarantee the occurrence of specific ancestry or traits, which may lead to discrepancies when compared to your personal understanding. These predictions will become more accurate as research includes a wider range of diverse participants. It is important to note that ancestry and traits results are different from your health results. The Tier One Population Screen looks for the presence or absence of specific genetic variants with extensive evidence from the medical community that links them to disease risk.

Coverage varies by plan and test type. Many health plans cover medically necessary genetic tests. Our team can help verify coverage and navigate prior authorization when needed.

Out-of-pocket costs depend on your insurance coverage and the specific test ordered. Helix offers transparent pricing and financial assistance programs for qualifying patients.

Billing models for population-scale programs are customized based on program scope, volume, and partnership structure. Contact our partnerships team to discuss options.

You are in control of your privacy on the Helix platform. Our goal is to give you the information and tools needed to help you understand and manage how your information is protected, shared, and stored. You can choose to stop sharing your information with us or our partners at any time. For more information please view our webpage: https://www.helix.com/notice-of-privacy-practices

When you join a research program through one of our health system partners, your information is stored in secure databases. Our IT and security professionals maintain and monitor these databases, ensuring data protection through technical, physical, and administrative safeguards that meet or exceed industry best practices . Technical safeguards include multi-factor authentication, strict access controls, audit/logging, endpoint monitoring, data loss prevention, encryption (at rest and in transit), and robust vendor risk management. While specific configurations are not disclosed, independent third-party auditors annually review our privacy and security programs to ensure safeguards operate as expected and align with industry standards.

Yes. You can request deletion of your genetic data at any time by contacting our support team. We will process your request in accordance with applicable regulations.

Helix partners with health systems to launch population genomics programs, integrate genomic data into clinical workflows, and enable research. Contact our partnerships team to explore how we can work together.

Implementation includes program design, clinical workflow integration, provider education, participant enrollment, and ongoing support. Most programs launch within 3–6 months.

Yes. Helix's Genosphere platform provides access to one of the world's largest clinico-genomic datasets, supporting drug target discovery, clinical trial recruitment via Recall by Genotype, and real-world evidence studies.

Creating an optional Helix Account provides several benefits: Access to clear and understandable information about your DNA and health results. Insights into your ancestry and non-medical traits. Ongoing updates from Helix. Important: A Helix Account is the only method to view your Ancestry and Traits results. These results will not be included in your medical record.

You can create a Helix account by using your online health account (such as MyChart) or by providing an email address and password. To create a Helix account with your online health account – recommended: Go to https://registration.helix.com. Select your health system from the dropdown list, click "Continue," and verify that the displayed logo is correct. Click "Continue to Sign In" to be redirected to your health account's login page. If you've forgotten your username or password, follow the instructions on that page to retrieve your information. Read and accept the Helix Consents. To create a Helix account with an email and password: Go to https://registration.helix.com. Select “Sign up with Email”. Enter your Kit ID or MRN. (If you need your help finding your Kit ID, see this help article.) Create a password. Set up multi-factor authentication using your phone number. Read and accept the Helix Consents.

The location of your Kit ID depends on which at-home sample collection kit you received. 1. Saliva Collection Kit Where to find it: Look for the label printed on the side of the collection tube. How to identify it: Locate the unique code printed directly underneath the barcode. What it looks like: The Kit ID follows the alphanumeric pattern such as ABC-DEFG-123. 2. Buccal Swab Kit Where to find it: Look for the white label on the side of the plastic vial (with the blue cap). How to identify it: Locate the unique code printed directly underneath the barcode. What it looks like: The Kit ID follows an alphanumeric pattern such as YYMMDDA#####. (Note: This Kit ID contains no hyphens.) 3. Check Your Email If you cannot access your collection kit, you can find your Kit ID in your email. Search your inbox for an email from Helix or support@helix.com. Also check your junk or spam folders. Look for a subject line that contains "Welcome to Our Study." The Kit ID will be listed in the body of that email. Common Troubleshooting If the code you entered is invalid, double-check for common character mix-ups: The letter O vs. the number 0. The letter I vs. the number 1. The letter S vs. the number 5. Use the Kit ID printed directly on the collection tube instead of anything on the outer packaging. If you are still unable to locate your Kit ID, please contact Customer Support for help. You can reach us via our online contact us form or by calling (844) 211-2070. Our hours are Monday to Friday, 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM Pacific.

Helix uses a unique, 10-digit Kit ID in the format XXX-XXXX-### (X = letter, # = number). If your Kit ID isn’t working, try these steps: Verify the Kit ID format. Restart your web browser. Update your browser to the latest version. Use a different browser (Chrome is recommended). If the issue persists, please contact Customer Support for help. You can reach us via our online contact us form or by calling (844) 211-2070. Our hours are Monday to Friday, 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM Pacific.

To log into your Helix account with your online health account (such as MyChart): Go to https://registration.helix.com/login. Click ‘Use Your Online Health Account’. Select your health system from the dropdown list, click "Continue," and verify that the displayed logo is correct. Click "Continue to Sign In" to be redirected to your health account's login page. If you've forgotten your username or password, follow the instructions on that page to retrieve your information. Upon successful login, you will be redirected to your Helix Account dashboard. To log into your Helix account with your email and password: Go to https://registration.helix.com/login. Enter your email and password and press ‘Continue’. Select a method for receiving an authentication code and click ‘Send Code’. Enter the 6-digit code and press ‘Submit Code’. Upon successful login, you will be redirected to your Helix Account dashboard. Note: If you purchased a Helix DNA kit before 2019 and are looking to access your Helix account, please login using your email and password.

Important: These instructions do not apply if you created your account with your online health account (such as MyChart). To reset your Helix account password: Go to https://registration.helix.com/reset-password. Enter your email address and click “Continue”. A password reset link will be sent to your email if you have a Helix account associated with that address. In the email, click the “Reset Password” button to reset your password. Always use the most recent password reset email, as older links may have expired. If you can’t find the password reset email, check your junk or spam folders. If it’s still missing, restart the password reset process and ensure your email address is entered correctly. We cannot send notifications for incorrect email addresses or those not linked to a Helix account.

If you need to update the information associated with your Helix account, please contact Customer Support using our online contact us form or calling (844) 211-2070, Monday to Friday, 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM Pacific.

Sign-up instructions are available on the program website for your health system. Find your health system's logo on https://www.helix.com/health-systems/population-genomics-partners and click 'Partner Page' to go to their website.

Each participant must use a unique email address to sign up. If you currently share an email, please create a new one. Once you have a unique email, update it in the personal information section of your online health account or patient portal (such as MyChart). After this update, you can enroll. Refer to the enrollment instructions on your program website by click your health system's logo here: https://www.helix.com/health-systems/population-genomics-partners

To update personal information like your phone number during the sign-up process, please do so directly through your online health account or patient portal (such as MyChart). After updating, you can restart the process. For additional help, contact your program's study team. Their websites and contact information are available by clicking your health system's logo from here: https://www.helix.com/health-systems/population-genomics-partners

If you receive an error message, please email a screenshot to support@helix.com for assistance. To help Customer Support troubleshoot your issue, provide as many details as possible, such as the error message, your device type (mobile or desktop), and the internet browser you’re using. Note: For an optimal experience, we recommend using Chrome as your browser. If you encountered an error while using a different browser, please try again.

If you see a ‘You Are Not Eligible’ page, it means you did not meet the criteria to proceed with study enrollment. Why was I ineligible? Your responses did not meet the current study criteria. This could be due to a simple error, such as selecting the wrong option for a health or demographic question. Can I fix my answers? You cannot manually edit your submitted questionnaire. If you believe you made a mistake and would like to be reassessed, you must contact Customer Support at (844) 211-2070 or fill out the contact us from on our website.

We encourage you to reach out to your program's study team. You can find their websites and contact information by clicking your health system’s logo here: https://www.helix.com/health-systems/population-genomics-partners Alternatively, you can contact Helix directly by completing the contact us form on our website (844) 211-2070. Our operating hours are Monday to Friday, 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM Pacific