A Government Accountability Office probe last week caused a major setback to companies selling personalized genetic tests which were contradictory and misleading. The undercover federal investigation by 5 GAO staffers found that the DNA samples dispatched to 4 undisclosed companies showed differing predictions regarding a disease risk.
The evaluations more often conflicted with the DNA donors’ own medical conditions and family medical histories. A donor who underwent a pacemaker implant due to irregular heartbeat was predicted to be below-average heart risk. Another prediction said that the donor was at average risk for developing colon-cancer even though he was a survivor for the same.
Two firms were found to be selling nutritional supplements that were no better than multivitamins. The probe cited experts who exposed the reality of tall claims by firms that the tests and supplements were handy in repairing damaged DNA or can even predict the prospects for success of a child as an athlete.
The reason for these variations in the test results is that the firms used varying methods for the predictions of disease risk. The genetic markers used by all the companies were discovered by computerized DNA scans called as genomewide association tests. However, the companies that sell directly to the consumer have uncommon standards on which genetic marker is to be used and in what number. One firm used 18 markers while another one use5 genetic markers for the same prostate cancer test.
To top all this, the tests are pretty pricey too. The investigators shelled $299 to $999 for these tests only to get varying information almost 70% of the time.
23andMe and Pathway Genomics are some of the companies that have been selling DNA tests to consumers since years. But now in recent months they, along with some other DNA-test selling companies, have attracted the federal board’s attention. The report submitted after the probe suggests that industry standards and public supervision of the flourishing industry be established by federal agencies like Federal Trade Commission, Food and Drug Administration, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Source:
Wall Street Journal
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by on 25. Jul, 2010 in Health News
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