Lessons Learned from Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing

The number of companies offering direct-to-consumer genetic tests is increasing. There is growing concern over whether direct-to-consumer genetic companies should be allowed to offer clinically relevant testing that has only been possible under medical care. Direct-to-consumer genetic testing can be incomplete, inaccurate, and inappropriate. The usefulness of such testing is extremely limited and it is unclear how well customers understand reported results. Research on the long-term impact of direct-to-consumer genetic testing is necessary to determine if stricter regulations regarding the performance of direct-to-consumer genetic testing are necessary.