GENETIC TESTING GOES MAINSTREAM: DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER companies are proliferating, raising questions about quality and lack of standards

AS THE COST OF genomic sequencing plunges, dozens of companies are popping up on the Internet, hoping to cash in on the increasing demand for personal genetic information. For a few hundred dollars, consumers can spit into a collection device and send their saliva sample to obtain a personalized genetic profile that will tell them about their ancestry, their risk of developing particular diseases, and various traits like their food preferences or athletic ability. But an increasing number of people are raising concerns about these direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic tests and are calling for more government oversight. They question the technical performance of the tests, their clinical utility, and the likelihood that they will make a difference in an individual’s health. Some also worry about privacy and who should have access to a person’s genetic information. At a two-day workshop earlier this month, sponsored jointly by the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine, ...