Why it matters
Such scores are model outputs, so the chosen model and its validation population matter. The same number should not be assumed to have identical meaning across different contexts or groups.
A practical example
Imagine two services use different sets of variants and different comparison populations. Their scores for one person may differ even when both start from the same genotype file. Comparing the numbers requires understanding how each was calculated.
An important distinction
A score is not a diagnosis or a prediction of a certain future. Its interpretation may need age, family history, environment, and other evidence that the genetic score itself does not contain.
Sources and further reading
- PRIMARY SOURCE NHGRI: Polygenic Risk Score
The example above is hypothetical. Related cases provide context; they do not imply that every case involved this mechanism.