Direct-to-consumer genetic testing: driving choice?

Direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTCGT), which includes both the advertising and offer of genetic tests directly to the public [1], existed for many years before the, now famous, companies such as deCODE and 23andme made their appearance on the market [2]. However, the sharp increase in companies offering DTC-GT over the last 3 years has sparked much regulatory and ethical debate [3–5]. The former, rightly concerned with quality and safety, and the latter, with consumer understanding and the absence of medical oversight. Even more speculation surrounds the larger socio–political issue of whether this is an enabling, democratization of medical information [6] and so just another example of modern, social networking, with genetic information as the common currency.