When consumers get their genomes

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genomics services enable consumers to gain access to their DNA sequence using research microarrays and curated genetic association literature. For a few hundred US dollars, consumers can compare their genotypes against current research results, including risk estimates for common diseases based on SNPs. The DTC companies are legally avoiding claims of medical utility but are assembling the components needed for genomic-based healthcare. They represent an early vision of what modern personalized medicine could become. This has resulted in some conflict between the research and regulatory communities and there are reasonable questions as to whether the science is sufficiently mature. The DTC providers are exploring and solving problems associated with communicating complex scientific data and have the potential to revolutionize research by organizing large communities efficiently using web technology.