An Unwelcome Side Effect of Direct-to-Consumer Personal Genome Testing

It is now possible for individuals to learn about their genetic susceptibility to dozens of common and complex disorders, such as coronary artery disease, diabetes, obesity, prostate cancer, and Alzheimer's disease, without ever seeing a physician.Direct-to-consumer personal genome testing companies, such as 23andMe, Navigenics, and deCODEme hope to empower consumers to take control of their health by providing tailored assessments of genetic risk based on reported associations between genomic variation and susceptibility to disease.Several states limit or forbid this practice as a violation of state law that requires the appropriate involvement of a licensed physician when providing medical diagnostic information (1).Personal genome testing companies claim that their services are for informational and educational purposes only.They warn consumers that the information should not be used for diagnosis, treatment, or health ascertainment purposes and direct them to their physician if they have questions or concerns about their health status (2-3).