Wired on regulation of DTC genetic testing

The Wired website is abuzz with news and opinions regarding the California Public Health Department's recent letter to direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies, which advised them to cease testing customers until they have demonstrated compliance with state regulations - importantly, including the provision that all "clinical laboratory tests" (apparently including a genome scan) be ordered through a doctor.

Such regulation goes against the general Wired philosophy of unfettered access to technology, so the response is not positive. Wired began the day with a list of the Top 10 Reasons that Regulators Should not Hinder Genetic Testing, followed with an exclusive release of the letter that started it all, a report on a 3-hour health department conference call on the issue last Friday, and then a summary of the whole debacle.

I'm not going to go on about this topic (this will hopefully be my last post on it for a while) but the links above are well worth a scan for anyone concerned about the future of the personal genomics industry.


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