To ban or not to ban?

The past four years have seen a steady increase in the number of companies that offer direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing services and in the number of such tests for genetic risk factors, including a wide range of diseases and other non-disease-related traits. These companies sell their tests outside the traditional healthcare setting and often do not involve healthcare professionals for either the initial sale of the test or when they inform consumers about the results—usually over the internet. Among other purposes, tests are being sold to determine consumers’ genetic risk of developing Mendelian disorders, such as cystic fibrosis, as well as complex diseases including cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer disease.