Genes and Marketing
You may also wish to vist GeneWatch's new website, My DNA, My Family, My Rights.
Most genetic tests are currently only available through specialist genetic testing services in the NHS, where they are mainly used to diagnose genetic disorders or identify people whose children might inherit such disorders. However, a number of companies are already looking at ways of expanding the market for genetic tests by selling them on the internet, in high street stores, through private GPs or via alternative healthcare providers.
Genetic tests are not currently regulated in Britain or Europe: there is no independent assessment of the claims made by commercial companies. This means that people could easily be misled about their health.
Genetic testing services require customers to provide a sample of their DNA (usually using a simple mouth swab) which is then sent to a laboratory. The laboratory will look for rare mutations or common variations in the person's genetic make-up. Customers may then receive any or all of the following:
- predictions about their, or their children's, risk of future illness;
- health advice about their lifestyle or which vitamin supplements or medicines to take;
- products that are claimed to be tailored to their individual genetic make-up.
For more than 20 years, GeneWatch UK has exposed companies making misleading claims about genetic test results.
A new EU regulation will protect patients and consumers by requiring companies to provide evidence that genetic tests and computer algorithms correctly diagnose or predict disease, before they can be marketed. This new IVD (In-Vitro Diagnostics) Regulation will require companies to provide clinical evidence to support the claims they make. However implementation of the regulations, which were due to come force in 2022, has been further delayed due to the pandemic.
Read the GeneWatch UK briefing about the EU's In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Regulation.
Following Brexit, the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) held a consultation on whether similar regulations should apply in Britain. You can read GeneWatch UK's response here.
The US Federal Drug Aministration (FDA) cracked down on misleading claims made for some genetic tests in late 2013. However, not all genetic test results are regulated by the FDA.
Please note that information about specific companies may change after the publication date. For example, the US company Great Smokies Diagnostics Laboratory (GSDL) has changed its name to Genova Diagnostics. The UK company Health Interlink has asked us to point out that it severed its ties with GSDL over three years ago, shortly after its tests were launched.
Resources
- Consultations
- GeneWatch UK response to MHRA consultation on the future regulation of medical devices in the United Kingdom 16th November 2021
- GeneWatch UK response to EC consultation on gene test regulation 19th September 2010
- GeneWatch UK submission to the HGC consultation on direct-to-consumer genetic testing (4th December 2009) 4th December 2009
- GeneWatch response to the Nuffield consultation on medical profiling (21st July 2009) 20th July 2009
- GeneWatch response to the consultation on the Medical Devices Directives 3rd July 2008
- Submission to House of Lords 'Genomic Medicine' Inquiry 20th April 2008
- GeneWatch UK response to MHRA consultation 29th October 2007
- External links
- UK Parliament: MPs urge Government to review regulations for direct-to-consumer genetic testing (22nd June 2021)
- LawSeq: Genomics Law (USA)
- Council for Responsible Genetics: Ancestry DNA Testing and Privacy: A Consumer Guide (23rd March 2017)
- FDA: 23andMe, Inc. (22nd November 2013)
- Sterckx et al. (2013): "I prefer a child with...": designer babies, another controversial patent in the arena of direct-to-consumer genomics
- Eurogentest: Genetic Tests for Health Purposes (3rd December 2012)
- Revision of the medical device directives (September 2012)
- GeneValues Blog: Patently unclear - 23andme's position on DNA patenting (13th January 2012)
- European Society of Human Genetics (press release): Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Tests Neither Accurate in Their Predictions nor Beneficial to Individuals, Study Suggests (30th May 2011)
- AMA to FDA: Genetic Testing Should Be Conducted by Qualified Health Professionals [Press Release] (23rd February 2011)
- Americal Medical Associetion (AMA): Re: Molecular and Clinical Genetics Panel of the FDA Medical Devices Advisory Committee (23rd February 2011)
- Nuffield Council on Bioethics: Personalised Healthcare (12th Otober 2010)
- 2020Health: Health, humanity and justice: Emerging health technologies in the 21st Century (October 2010)
- European Society on Human Genetics: Statement on direct-to-consumer genetic testing
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German Human Genetic Examination Act (April 2009)
Unofficial translation of the German Act which requires standards to be set for genetic testing, including the involvement of specially qualified medical professionals. The Act also bans genetic discrimination by insurers and employers.
- European Parliament: Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA): Direct to Consumer Genetic Testing (November 2008)
- Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition: Statement on Genetic Testing (October 2008)
- Newspaper articles
- BBC: Genetic testing firm 23andMe investigated over hack (10th June 2024)
- CTech: 23andMe's promise of genetic testing has been shattered (6th June 2024)
- Parks and Ince: What Can At-home Genetic Tests Tell Me About My Health? JAMA. 4th April 2022
- Reuters: China's gene giant harvests data from millions of women (7th July 2021)
- The Independent: MPs urge government to review regulations for direct-to-consumer genetic testing (22nd June 2021)
- BMJ: SNP chips perform poorly for detecting very rare genetic variants (15th February, 2021)
- Varisty: What makes you, you? The complications behind race and DNA ancestry tests (24th August 2020)
- Buzz Feed: Pregnant Women Have Received False Results From This DNA Paternity Test (5th July 2020)
- The Conversation: Why one-size-fits-all diets don’t work – new study (12th June 2020)
- Nutraingredients: Expert view: Genetics-based nutrition is risky business (9th June 2020)
- Time: You Can Learn a Lot About Yourself From a DNA Test. Here's What Your Genes Cannot Tell You (2nd March 2020)
- CNET: Genetic testing hampered by data privacy concerns, experts say (26th February 2020)
- Daily Mail: Unwanted life after death: Experts warn personal data from fashionable genetic testing kits and social media accounts may be hijacked after a customer dies (18th February 2020)
- The Guardian: Your DNA is a valuable asset, so why give it to ancestry websites for free? (16th February 2020)
- New Scientist: DNA firms are set to profit from your data as testing demand falls (7th February 2020)
- The Verge: Layoffs at genetic testing companies reflect the changing market (6th February 2020)
- TechCrunch: Ancestry lays off 6% of staff as consumer genetic testing market continues to decline (6th February 2020)
- Navy Times: Curious about your family tree? Navy warns sailors about consumer genetic tests (31st January 2020)
- Bloomberg: 23andMe Licenses Its Own Drug Compound to Spanish Firm Almirall (9th January 2020)
- Reuters: Genetic markers not very good for predicting disease risk, study suggests (8th January 2020)
- Medical Press: BMI over time beats genetics in predicting future obesity (8th January 2020)
- eLife: Genealogy: The challenges of maintaining genetic privacy (7th January 2020)
- New York Times: Why Are You Publicly Sharing Your Child's DNA Information? (2nd January 2020)
- NBC: Pentagon tells military personnel not to use at-home DNA kits (24th December 2019)
- Wall Street Journal: A Genetic Test Led Seven Women in One Family to Have Major Surgery. Then the Odds Changed. (20th December 2019)
- The Washington Post: The dark side of our genealogy craze (13th December 2019)
- Vox: Genetic testing is an inexact science with real consequences (13th December 2019)
- BuzzFeedNews: 10 Years Ago, DNA Tests Were The Future Of Medicine. Now They’re A Social Network - And A Data Privacy Mess (11th December 2019)
- Daily Mail: In a brave new world of gene testing, I might not be alive to warn you of its dangers (4th December 2019)
- Fortune: A Reporter Took DNA Tests in the U.S. and China. The Results Left Her Worried (30th November 2019)
- Gizmodo: Consumer DNA Testing May Be the Biggest Health Scam of the Decade (20th November 2019)
- Wired: How Earnest Research Into Gay Genetics Went Wrong (18th November 2019)
- The Guardian: Ant and Dec’s DNA test merely tells us that we’re all inbred (12th November 2019)
- MIT Technology Review: The world’s first Gattaca baby tests are finally here (8th November 2019)
- UW News: Popular third-party genetic genealogy site is vulnerable to compromised data, impersonations (29th October 2019)
- BBC: Genetic tests: Experts urge caution over home testing (17th October 2019)
- Science Weekly: The dangers of DIY genetic testing (11th October 2019)
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner NZ: Your DNA is only a click away: Home DNA tests and privacy (6th August 2019)
- BBC: I gave my DNA away. Can I get it back? (4th August 2019)
- The Guardian: Senior doctors call for crackdown on home genetic testing kits (21st July 2019)
- USA Today: DNA testing can share all your family secrets. Are you ready for that? (5th July 2019)
- LA Times: DNA-testing firms are lobbying to limit your right to genetic privacy (2nd July 2019)
- The Conversation: Genetic risk tests are now widely available, but they aren't always useful - and could even be harmful (1st July 2019)
- The Hill: Think twice before giving results of your home DNA kit to the police (30th June 2019)
- New York Times: How to Protect Your DNA Data Before and After Taking an at-Home Test (12th June 2019)
- STAT: Genetic testing: the next big arena for fraud? (7th June 2019)
- The Atlantic: Genetic Intelligence Tests Are Next to Worthless (29th May 2019)
- Quartz: The biggest problem with at-home genetic testing services is hiding in plain sight (27th April 2019)
- MotherBoard: A DNA Ancestry Website Is Asking People to Join to Help Hunt Criminals (27th March 2019)
- The Independent: ‘Astonishing level of ignorance’: Matt Hancock criticised for revealing results of his genetic test for diseases (21st March 2019)
- CNBC: Elon Musk-backed company launches a website to poke fun at DNA testing - and it's hilarious (18th March 2019)
- US News: DNA Testing Company Will Allow Customers to Opt Out of Helping FBI Amid Privacy Concerns (13th March 2019)
- OneZero: The Time Bomb of DNA Testing and Race (13th March 2019)
- NECN: DNA Kits Yield Different Results From Two Genetics Companies (12th March 2019)
- HuffPost: I Got A Double Mastectomy After A Genetic Test. Then I Learned The Results Were Wrong (21st February 2019)
- New York Times: A Mother Learns the Identity of Her Child's Grandmother. A Sperm Bank Threatens to Sue. (16th February 2019)
- NJ: She was left with disturbing questions that will never be answered. The Pandora’s Box of DNA testing. (10th February 2019)
- The Guardian: The NHS should run a mile from the genome sequencing goldrush (7th February 2019)
- New York Times: Why You Should Be Careful About 23andMe's Health Test (1st February 2019)
- Bloomberg: Major DNA Testing Company Sharing Genetic Data With the FBI (1st February 2019)
- Buzz Feed News: One Of The Biggest At-Home DNA Testing Companies Is Working With The FBI (31st January 2019)
- BBC: NHS to offer paid-for DNA tests if patients share data (26th January 2019)
- TechCrunch: Curious 23andMe twin results show why you should take DNA testing with a grain of salt (18th January 2019)
- Business Insider: Genetic testing is the future of healthcare, but many experts say companies like 23andMe are doing more harm than good (7th January 2019)
- The New York Times: The Family History DNA Can't Reveal (15th December 2018)
- Reuters: Identity crisis: data misuse an unseen twist in DNA testing (13th December 2018)
- South China Morning Post: China pins its hopes on beating US in race for bio-intelligence supremacy (26th November 2018)
- AFP: How Vicky Donors are losing their anonymity (21st November 2018)
- New York Times: Sigrid Johnson Was Black. A DNA Test Said She Wasn't. (19th November 2018)
- Washington Post: Was I part British, part Dutch, a little bit Jewish? The oddness of DNA tests. (3rd November 2018)
- The Verge: 23andMe's genetic test for how you’ll react to medication is ahead of its time (2nd November 2018)
- Intelligencer: DNA Testing Can’t Tell Us Who We Really Are. It Can Tell the Cops (17th October 2018)
- The Atlantic: Your DNA Is Not Your Culture (25th September 2018)
- New York Times: 23andMe Said He Would Lose His Mind. Ancestry Said the Opposite. Which Was Right? (15th September 2018)
- ZDNet: Before taking that DNA test: Six things you need to know (15th August 2018)
- Medical Bag: Is Using Genealogy Data to Solve Crimes Taking DNA Analysis a Step Too Far? (14th August 2018)
- The Times: 23andme online gene test 'could mislead about breast cancer risk' [subscription needed] (4th August 2018)
- The Verge: 23andMe and other DNA-testing firms promise not to share data without consent (1st August 2018)
- USA Today: Your DNA could help make new drugs. But should you share it? (31st July 2018)
- The Atlantic: When a DNA Test Shatters Your Identity (17th July 2018)
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New York Times: Curious About Your Ancestry? Submit a DNA Swab, and a Big Grain of Salt (18th June 2018)
- Bloomberg: Deleting Your Online DNA Data Is Brutally Difficult (15th June 2018)
- Center for Genetics and Society: Connecting the Dots in a Flood of Genetic Testing Stories (7th June 2018)
- Front Line Genomics: DNA Testing Company MyHeritage Hacked: 92 Million Users Affected (6th June 2018)
- Krebs on Security: Researcher Finds Credentials for 92 Million Users of DNA Testing Firm MyHeritage (5th June 2018)
- McClatchy: Who is the secretive Google offshoot that has access to Ancestry's DNA database? (1st June 2018)
- McClatchy: DNA-testing companies say they can pinpoint your ethnicity. Can they? (31st May 2018)
- Deseret News: Report this ad Advertise with us Is DNA testing telling us more than we want to know? The untold story of Ancestry.com (30th May 2018)
- McClatchy: Ancestry wants your spit, your DNA and your trust. Should you give them all three? (29th May 2018)
- The Atlantic: Can Genetic Counselors Keep Up With 23andMe? (22nd May 2018)
- Science News: Consumer DNA testing promises more than it delivers (22nd May 2018)
- Wired: 23andMe Goes Global In Its Data-Mining Efforts (18th May 2018)
- The DNA Exchange: DTC: Direct to Children? (10th May 2018)
- The Washington Post: Medicine’s Wild West: 10 new genetic tests enter the market each day (7th May 2018)
- New York Times: The Racial Spectacle of DNA Test Result Videos (6th May 2018)
- Business Insider: How to delete your DNA data from genetics companies like 23andMe and Ancestry (4th May 2018)
- AJC: Do popular DNA tests like 23andMe, Ancestry actually work? (2nd May 2018)
- Chicago 5: DNA Test Says it Will Implement New Controls After NBC 5 Report (2nd May 2018)
- NBC Chicago: Home DNA Kits: What Do They Tell You? (30th April 2018)
- New York Times: Employees Jump at Genetic Testing. Is That a Good Thing? (15th April 2018)
- STAT: Matching DNA to a diet doesn't work: "We didn't even come close," researcher says (20th February 2018)
- Smithsonian: The Dubious Science of Genetics-Based Dating (14th February 2018)
- Chicago Tribune: DNA spit kits: 23andMe's ancestry results 'most confounding,' new report says (17th January 2018)
- KimKommando: Ancestry.com suffers big data leak - 300,000 user credentials exposed (28th December 2017)
- The Verge: I paid 300 USD for DNA-based fitness advice and all I got was junk science (20th November 2017)
- The Parallax: DNA for sale: Who owns your genes? (25th October 2017)
- The Observer: What I learned from home DNA testing (23rd July 2017)
- Medium.com: Ancestry.com takes DNA ownership rights from customers and their relatives (17th May 2017)
- NBC: DNA Test for Finding Ancestors Raises Privacy Concerns (28th April 2017)
- PLoS: What is 23andMe gene-testing really for? (16th April 2017)
- New York Times: F.D.A. Will Allow 23andMe to Sell Genetic Tests for Disease Risk to Consumers (6th April 2017)
- The Atlantic: The DNA Test as Horoscope (25th January 2017)
- New York Times: Does Gene Testing Spur Healthier Habits? Maybe Not (2nd December 2016)
- Business Insider: The author of a book called 'Am I My Genes?' says anyone who tries a personal genetics test should know these 5 things first (21st November 2016)
- STAT: Genetic tests promised to help me achieve peak fitness. What I got was a fiasco (3rd November 2016)
- STAT: Genetic testing fumbles, revealing 'dark side' of precision medicine (31st October 2016)
- New York Times: Genetic Tests for a Heart Disorder Mistakenly Find Blacks at Risk (17th August 2016)
- The Guardian: Ethical questions raised in search for Sardinian centenarians' secrets (12th August 2016)
- Herald: Fears genetic testing kits breach consumer privacy (11th August 2016)
- MIT Technology Review: 23andMe Sells Data for Drug Search (21st June 2016)
- BBC Capital: The most expensive beauty products designed by science (3rd June 2016)
- ZDNet: This Korean startup wants your saliva (11th April 2016)
- Parent Herald: Health News And Updates: Apple Partners With 23andMe To Detect More Genetic Data Of Patients (9th April 2016)
- MIT Technology Review: The consumer genetics company 23andMe plans to let its customers use their iPhones to share their genetic data with researchers carrying out medical studies (21st March 2016)
- Inverse: Will 23andMe's Customers Get a Cut in the Sale of Their DNA Information? (17th March 2016)
- Huffington Post: DNA Health Tests Have 'Little Or No Impact' When It Comes To Changing Unhealthy Lifestyles (16th March 2016)
- American Council on Science and Health: Why 23andMe Is Smoke and Mirrors (11th March 2016)
- Quartz: Your entire genome can now be sequenced for 999 dollars - and the results sent to your smartphone (8th March 2016)
- Fast Company: 23andMe CEO: I'll Sleep When We Bring Our Full Test Back To Market (4th March 2016)
- Medscape: Patients Rate Physicians' Responses to DTC Genomic Testing (29th February 2016)
- MedCity News: 23andMe could sell its spit kits at Walgreens (27th February 2016)
- KitGuru: Police request DNA data from Ancestry and 23andMe databases (22nd February 2016)
- OncLive: Cautious Evolution Underway in DTC Genetic Testing (12th February 2016)
- Slate: What's in Your Genes? (20th January 2016)
- The Guardian: DNA-testing kit 23andme: patient-powered healthcare or just confusing? (12th January 2016)
- Daily Mail: Britain's largest sperm bank bans men with dyslexia, autism and ADHD from donating, triggering outrage over 'eugenics' (29th December 2015)
- TruthOut: Privacy Not Included: Federal Law Lags Behind New Tech (21st November 2015)
- Frontline Genomics: Few would trust tech companies with health data (20th November 2015)
- The National Law Review: Genetic Testing, Genome Sequencing, and the FDA (13th November 2015)
- Bloomberg: 23andMe CEO: Won't Sell After DNA Test Firm's Comeback (11th November 2015)
- Daily Star Albany: FDA Warned 3 Company for DTC Genetic Test (10th November 2015)
- Reuters: US FDA sends letter to DNA4Life over consumer gene tests (9th November 2015)
- Reuters: Direct-to-consumer company tests FDA's resolve on gene testing (6th November 2015)
- LA Times: Genetic testing evolves, along with health and ethics debates (30th October 2015)
- Nature: Out of regulatory limbo, 23andMe resumes some health tests and hopes to offer more (27th October 2015)
- BBC: DNA testing firm 23andMe relaunches health tests in US (22nd October 2015)
- New York Times: Regulate Lab Tests To Advance Genomic Medicine (22nd October 2015)
- Bloomberg: 23andMe's New DNA Test Restores Some Health Analysis for USD199 (21st October 2015)
- Xconomy: What’s Your DNA Worth? The Scramble To Cash In On the Genome (20th October 2015)
- Smithsonian Magazine: The Rise of DIY Genetic Testing (13th October 2015)
- The Verge: Ancestry.com is talking to the FDA about using DNA to estimate people's risk of disease (12th October 2015)
- Business Insider: Genetic testing companies may be basing their mental health recommendations on shaky science (7th October 2015)
- Fast Company: 23andMe And The FDA Reached A Pivotal Genetic Testing Agreement (6th October 2015)
- Daily Mail: Would YOU have the baby screening test that could wipe out EVERY genetic defect? (3rd October 2015)
- Boston Globe: Genetic tests for psychiatric drugs spur hope, doubts (3rd October 2015)
- Bloomberg: Startup's Cancer Test for the Healthy May Harm Public, FDA Says (24th Sptember 2014)
- Want China Times: Genetic testing firms in China happy to sell your DNA secrets (10th September 2015)
- Freedom to Tinker: Ancestry.com can use your DNA to target ads (7th September 2015)
- GEN: Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing: Will It Go Away? (1st September 2015)
- Technology Review: Inside Illumina's Plans to Lure Consumers with an App Store for Genomes (19th August 2015)
- BuzzFeed: Your 23andMe DNA Can Be Used In Racist, Discriminatory Ways (22nd July 2015)
- WSB-TV: 4 things to know about Google's plans to sequence your DNA (22nd July 2015)
- The World Post: Big Tech Has Your Email And Photos. Now It's On A Quest To Own Your DNA (20th July 2015)
- Montreal Gazette: Opinion: You can't change your genetics, but you can adopt a healthier lifestyle (24th May 2015)
- BioIT World: Robert Gentleman on His Goals for Drug Discovery at 23andMe (19th May 2015)
- The Chronicle Herald: Weekend Focus: Health and privacy - what you know could hurt you (16th May 2015)
- Examiner: Ancestry.com shares DNA with police without warrant (8th May 2015)
- Daily Mail: Apple has designs on your DNA: iPhone owners may be asked to take part in 'groundbreaking' genetic research projects (8th May 2015)
- Bidness Etc.: Apple Inc. ResearchKit To Integrate DNA Testing For Genetic Disorders (6th May 2015)
- ValueWalk: Apple Now Has Plans To Study Your DNA (6th May 2015)
- MIT Technology Review: Apple Has Plans for Your DNA (5th May 2015)
- Evening Standard: Genes in a bottle: why DNA testing is the new frontier in health and fitness (23rd April 2015)
- The World Post: Ancestry.Com Is Quietly Transforming Itself Into A Medical Research Juggernaut (6th April 2015)
- Express Pharma: In Your Genes (5th April 2015)
- The Nation: Who's Getting Rich Off Your Genes? (3rd April 2015)
- On Medica: GPs slam Superdrug home genetics test kit (2nd April 2015)
- The Guardian: Superdrug criticised by doctors for stocking genetic self-testing kits (31st March 2015)
- GeneWatch UK PR: Shoppers warned not to buy gene tests from Superdrug 29th March 2015
- The Times: DIY health tests are 'a waste of money' [subscription required] (28th March 2015)
- MIT Technology Review: Genome Study Predicts DNA of the Whole of Iceland (25th March 2015)
- IEEE Spectrum: The Race to Build a Search Engine for Your DNA (20th March 2015)
- Time: Here's How 23andMe Hopes to Make Drugs From Your Spit Samples (13th March 2015)
- The Telegraph: Should you worry about your genes? (8th March 2015)
- Fast Company: Sites That Sell Cancer Gene Tests Don't Tell Customers The Whole Story, Study Finds (5th March 2015)
- New Zealand Doctor: Consistent genetic test results sought with new database guidelines (2nd March 2015)
- Reuters: U.S. FDA approves 23andMe's genetic screening test for rare disorder (21st February 2015)
- Nature: US regulators try to tame 'wild west' of DNA testing (20th February 2015)
- Science 2.0: 23andMe Loses The Attitude And Gets Off The FDA Naughty List (20th February 2015)
- Medscape: FDA Clearance of DTC Genetic Test Gets Mixed Reviews (20th February 2015)
- Mail on Sunday: Mrs Google's DNA test for her unborn girl: Wife of internet tycoon has daughter tested for risk of cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's in later life (25th January 2015)
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Daily Mail: Man up! Sharon Osbourne goes for the androgynous look as she enjoys a caffeine hit in Los Angeles (24th January 2015)
Reports Sharon Osbourne's concerns about a gene test result for risk of Alzheimer's.
- Deutsche Welle: Online DNA tests: Are they accurate? (19th January 2015)
- Cosmetics Design Asia: DNA testing kits open up new cosmetic markets in Japan (14th January 2015)
- SwissInfo: Genomic Deals Raise Questions on Privacy, Sharing of Health Data (14th January 2015)
- Reuters: After Canada, UK, 23andMe wants DNA test growth abroad (14th January 2015)
- Fusion: How drug companies will mine your genes (12th January 2015)
- SFGate: 23andMe once again opens up patient data, this time to Pfizer (12th January 2015)
- Bloomberg: 23andme Aims to End FDA Standoff This Year After Public Shaming (12th January 2015)
- Charlotte Observer: Big bucks from 23andMe customers' genetic data (11th January 2015)
- National Law Review: FDA Is Exploring Options for Regulating Next Generation Sequencing Diagnostic Tests (9th January 2015)
- Forbes: Does 23andMe Deal Mean Medical Centers Are Sitting On Data Worth Millions? (8th January 2015)
- MIT Technology Review: 23andMe's New Formula: Patient Consent = dollars (6th January 2015)
- Huffington Post: Commercial DNA Testing May Cause Harm, Scientific Studies Show (if You Read Through to the Study Limitations at the End) (22nd December 2014)
- Lifehacker: Why Genetic Testing Services Are Mostly Rubbish (11th December 2014)
- Daily Mail: Google and the 125 pound DNA tests that chill my blood (3rd December 2014)
- Mancunian Matters: Piccadilly Pulse: Manchester says ignorance is bliss after launch of genetic cancer test (3rd December 2014)
- Daily Mail: Previous Next £125 DNA test that checks for 100 conditions (2nd December 2014)
- BBC: Controversial DNA test halted in the US comes to UK (2nd December 2014)
- CNBC: DNA test 23andMe sparks UK privacy concerns (2nd December 2014)
- The Telegraph: 125 pound test for conditions from cancer to Alzheimer's (2nd December 2014)
- RT: Banned DNA test kits hit UK stores (2nd December 2014)
- Daily Digest News: Controversial home DNA diagnostic test released in the UK (2nd December 2014)
- The Independent: Google's 125 pound cancer test arrives in Britain - but with a health warning (2nd December 2014)
- International Business Times: Controversial Google-backed GBP125 DNA test for cancer reaches UK despite US health concerns (2nd December 2014)
- The Guardian: DNA-screening test 23andMe launches in UK after US ban (2nd December 2014)
- Slash Gear: 23andMe expands into UK with genome service (1st December 2014)
- The Verge: 23andMe expands to the UK despite US restrictions (1st December 2014)
- Globe and Mail: Why we should resist the lure of home genetic tests (16th November 2014)
- MIT Technology Review: Google Wants to Store Your Genome (6th November 2014)
- PLoS Blogs: DNA and Dating: Buyer Beware (25th September 2014)
- New York Times: Finding Risks, Not Answers, in Gene Tests (22nd September 2014)
- Vox: Genetic testing brings families together And sometimes tears them apart (9th September 2014)
- Vox: Everything you need to know about genetic testing and personalized medicine (4th September 2014)
- MIT Technology Review: 23andMe Tries to Woo the FDA (21st July 2014)
- The Japan Times: Pros and cons of genetic testing (11th July 2014)
- BioITWorld: FDA Loves Genetic Tests, If Accurate (30th June 2014)
- VBNews: 23andMe and FDA are playing nice under Congress's watchful eye (27th June 2014)
- SFGate: 23andMe takes first step in long journey toward FDA approval (20th June 2014)
- BioITWorld: 23andMe Seeks FDA Approval for Health Report on Single Condition (20th June 2014)
- Forbes: Seven Months After FDA Slapdown, 23andMe Returns With New Health Report Submission (20th June 2014)
- Reuters: Genetics startup 23andMe takes step on path to FDA approval (20th June 2014)
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FTC: FTC Approves Final Consent Orders Settling Charges that Companies Deceptively Claimed Their Genetically Modified Nutritional Supplements Could Treat Diseases
Note the headline is misleading, the supplements are not GM but are claimed to be personalised based on human genetic tests.
- In The Capital: Government Cracks Down on Fake DNA-Based Medicine (13th May 2014)
- Vox: The FDA won't let 23andMe test your genes - so it may go to Europe (12th May 2014)
- Reuters: Gene startup 23andme casts eyes abroad after U.S. regulatory hurdle (7th May 2014)
- Dark Daily: China Puts the Kibosh on Genetic Testing, Surprising Even Genetic Experts - Effects on Recent Multi-million Dollar Investment by BGI of Shenzhen Uncertain (7th May 2014)
- AACC: Is FDA's Crackdown on Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing a Violation of the First Amendment? (5th May 2014)
- The Vancouver Sun: Personal Genomics: 'Consumer' DNA analysis may be of limited use (4th May 2014)
- The Observer: Startup offering DNA screening of 'hypothetical babies' raises fears over designer children (6th April 2014)
- Arstechnica: I had my DNA analyzed, and all I got was this lousy story (4th April 2014)
- Government Technology: Google Invites Geneticists to Upload DNA Data to Cloud (18th March 2014)
- OncLive: FDA Tells Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing Company to Halt Marketing (12th March 2014)
- BBC: Hacking the (genetic) code (10th March 2014)
- Engadget: 23andMe's Anne Wojcicki envisions the future of preventative medicine (9th March 2014)
- ReCode: 23andMe's Wojcicki Admits FDA Decision Was a Blow, Defends Role as Health Information Provider (9th March 2014)
- Forbes: China Cracks Down on DNA Testing (3rd March 2014)
- Mareeg: Genetics for the People? (5th February 2014)
- GEN: Direct-to-Consumer Testing's Constitutional Appeal (5th February 2014)
- Healthline: Despite FDA Warning, 23andMe Continues Research on Genetic Causes of Allergies (2nd february 2014)
- Motherboard: Should the FDA Take a More Libertarian Stance Towards Personal Genomics? (1st February 2014)
- Salon: A genetic "Minority Report": How corporate DNA testing could put us at risk (26th January 2014)
- Huffington Post: How FDA and 23andMe dance around evidence that is not there (27th January 2014)
- Digital Journal: Gene predicting company falls foul of Federal law (18th January 2014)
- New Scientist: Testing times for the consumer genetics revolution (13th January 2014)
- Scientific American: After 23andMe, Another Personal Genetics Firm Is Charged with False Advertising (11th January 2014)
- Scientific American: After 23andMe, Another Personal Genetics Firm Is Charged with False Advertising (11th January 2014)
- USAToday: 23andMe's rush to market irresponsible: Column (9th January 2014)
- GenomeWeb: After Technology-driven 'Year of Inflection,' Consumer Genomics Industry Looks ahead to 2014 (7th January 2014)
- New York Times: I Had My DNA Picture Taken, With Varying Results (30th December 2013)
- Huffington Post Blog: Enough With Business Models Exploiting User Data - Why 23andMe and Google Are Not Users' Friends (20th December 2013)
- Boston Business Journal: Women sue 23andMe over marketing claims (19th December 2013)
- Washington Post: Can 23andMe earn FDA approval? (19th December 2013)
- Washington Post TV: Why the FDA cracked down on 23andMe (19th December 2013)
- LA Times: 23andMe's genetic tests are more misleading than helpful (15th December 2013)
- Bloomberg: Personal Gene Tests Face Sharper Scrutiny After 23andMe: Health (11th December 2013)
- Forbes: What Do Doctors Think About 23andme? (11th December 2013)
- BBC: Gene testing company 23andMe 'not going anywhere' (9th December 2013)
- AllThingsD: To Comply With FDA, 23andMe Won't Give New Customers Genetic Analysis (5th December 2013)
- Bloomberg: The Failed Promise of 23andMe (3rd December 2013)
- BBC: Gene testing firm 23andMe halts marketing (3rd December 2013)
- U-T San Diego: SD woman sues 23andMe over genetic test (3rd December 2013)
- BioIT World: 23andMe Attracts Class Action (3rd December 2013)
- Forbes: Class Action Law Suit Filed Against 23andMe (2nd December 2013)
- Huffington Post Blog: Genetic Testing Should Adhere to Medical, Not Business, Ethics: FDA's Regulation of 23andMe Is a Welcome Move for Consumers (1st December 2013)
- Medical Xpress: It is game over for 23andMe, and rightly so (27th November 2013)
- Scientific American: 23andMe Is Terrifying, but Not for the Reasons the FDA Thinks (27th November 2013)
- The Guardian: FDA orders genetics company 23andMe to cease marketing of screening service (25th November 2013)
- Reuters: FDA warns Google-backed 23andMe to halt sales of genetic tests (25th November 2013)
- Fast Company: The Marketing Challenge of USD99 DNA Testing Company 23andMe (14th October 2013)
- Fast Company: Inside 23andMe founder Anne Wojcicki's USD99 DNA revolution (14th October 2013)
- Venture Beat: Can you trust Facebook with your genetic code? (7th October 2013)
- US Patent (Wojcicki et al, 23andMe): Gamete donor selection based on genetic calculations
- New Scientist: US firm patents DNA-analysis tool for planning a baby (3rd October 2013)
- The Independent: US genomics company patents tailor-made babies but denies plans to ever use it (3rd October 2013)
- Fox News: Genomics firm 23andMe patents 'designer baby' system, promises not to use it (3rd October 2013)
- BBC: 23andMe's 'build-a-baby' patent criticised (3rd October 2013)
- Nature News: Personal-genetics firm denies pursuit of designer babies in patent filing (2nd October 2013)
- Smart Planet: 23andMe wants millions of customers in its database (2nd October 2013)
- Biotech sf: Designer babies? 23andMe says no (2nd October 2013)
- PandoDaily: Build-a-Baby gets patented by 23andMe. Cue outrage. (2nd October 2013)
- Wired: Personal Genomics Firm 23andMe Patents Designer Baby System, Denies Plans to Use It (2nd October 2013)
- New Scientist: Why Personalised Medicine is Bad for us all (16th September 2013)
- HealthCanal: Direct-to-consumer genetic testing kits vary in predictions of disease risk (17th July 2013)
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Consumer Affairs: Nutritional supplement marketers to drop misleading disease claims (1st July 2013)
GeneLink forced to stop misleading claims after FTC complaint
- Japan Times: Experts question value of DNA tests (6th May 2013)
- BBC News: Some DNA ancestry services akin to 'genetic astrology' (7th March 2013)
- Orange County Register: Latest app? Store your DNA on a smartphone (17th January 2013)
- Wired: The Case for Selective Paternalism in Genetic Testing (14th January 2013)
- Canberra Times: Life insurers entitled to DNA results (8th January 2013)
- The Sunday Telegraph: DNA testing kit for diseases: the new front line of genetics (6th January 2013)
- Khaleej Times: Centre to offer holistic healthcare in Abu Dhabi (20th December 2012)
- U-T San Diego: A Brave New more customized world coming (16th December 2012)
- Genomics Law Report: Implications of Amgen/deCODE Deal for Genetic Testing Consumers (10th December 2012)
- Nature News Blog: Expert tours his own exome, and finds mainly false alarms (6th December 2012)
- The Scientist: Opinion: Talking Genomics (13th November 2012)
- Wired: Social Codes: Sharing Your Genes Online (9th November 2012)
- Bloomberg News: My DNA Results Spur Alzheimer's Anxiety at USD12,000 Cost (6th November 2012)
- Japan Times: Yahoo Japan to sell genetic test kit to general public (2nd November 2012)
- PLoS Blogs: Why I Don't Want to Know My Genome Sequence (1st November 2012)
- 23andMe Wants FDA Approval for Personal DNA Testing. What Can It Reveal? (2nd August 2012)
- The Scotsman: Genetics company faces inquiry after certifying MP's racial purity (14th June 2012)
- Nature News: Genome test slammed for assessing 'racial purity' (12th June 2012)
- The Nation: How Our Genetic Maps Are Being Sold to the Highest Bidder (6th June 2012)
- American Medical News: How to talk to patients about genetic testing (7th May 2012)
- The Awl: Everything I Didn't Learn From Taking A Personal Genome Test (1st May 2012)
- Forbes: When Getting Your Genome Is Terrifying (6th March 2012)
- BioNews: US health institute launches genetic test database (5th March 2012)
- Bloomberg: Harvard Mapping Of My DNA Turns Scary (15th February 2012)
- TroyMedia: Personalized genetic tests promise more than they can deliver (6th January 2012)
- Sydney Morning Herald: Pharmacies cop flak over genetic testing for weight loss (27th October 2011)
- The Guardian: Genetics tests flawed and inaccurate, say Dutch scientists (30th May 2011)
- San Francisco Examiner: Could a gene test save your life? (13th March 2011)
- Los Angeles Times: FDA panel advises caution on personal genetic testing (9th March 2011)
- Reuters: Home gene tests in the spotlight (7th March 2011)
- MedPage Today: FDA Panel to Discuss Home Genetic Tests (7th March 2011)
- WHNT: Special Report: What Does Your Spit Say About You? (2nd March 2011)
- My Health News Daily: Genetic Tests Debate: Is Too Much Info Bad for Your Health? (19th December 2010)
- Indy Star: Breaking the code of genetic testing (26th November 2010)
- BNET: Why Google Is Throwing Money at a DNA Test Company With a History of Screwups (12th November 2010)
- Medill Reports: Direct to consumer genetics testing kits aren't worth spit, according to British study (20th October 2010)
- Bioscience Technology: Personal genetic profiles lack evidence for claims (12th October 2010)
- Forbes: Why you shouldn't trust newfangled gene tests (8th October 2010)
- Bloomberg: Consumer gene tests should be regulated for accuracy, scientists say (7th October 2010)
- The Lancet: New guidelines for genetic tests are welcome but not sufficient (14th August 2010)
- Newsweek: DNA as crystal ball: buyer beware (18th May 2010)
- The Times: Cashing in on your genes (7th January 2010)
- New Scientist: Genome firm shoots itself in the foot (21st December 2009)
- The National: Gene revolution just a dream (21st November 2008)
- The Independent: Firm that led the way in DNA testing goes bust (18th November 2009)
- The Register: Genetic testing firm goes tits up (18th November 2009)
- Discover: Now for sale at sure fire prices: thousands of people's genomes (18th November 2009)
- The Times: Privacy fears as DNA testing firm deCODE Genetics goes bust (17th November 2009)
- The Guardian: Pioneer of personalised genetic tests files for bankruptcy (17th November 2009)
- Mother Jones: Google's Guinea Pigs (Nov/Dec 09)
- New York Times: Buyer beware of home DNA tests (31st August 2009)
- Bio-IT World: Software glitch scrambles personal genomics data (27th August 2009)
- New Scientist: My non-human DNA: a cautionary tale (26th August 2009)
- New Scientist: Gene predictions tell an ever-changing story (29th July)
- San Francisco Business Times: Genetic tests in regulatory 'No-man's Land' (26th July 2009)
- Mercury News: Online gene testers propose their own regulations (9th July 2009)
- DMN Newswire: Risk of sharing personal genetic information online need more study, Stanford bioethicists say (4th June 2009)
- Healthcare Republic: GPs warned over genetic testing kits (30th April 2009)
- Deutsche Welle: New German law restricts genetic testing (24th April 2009)
- Associated Press: Germany limits genetic testing (24th April 2009)
- The Telegraph: Genetic 'magic bullet' cures have proven a 'false dawn' (21st April 2009)
- Medical News Today: 'Commercial genetic psychiatric tests are irresponsible and harmful, say scientists' (17th April 2009)
- Bloomberg: Personal gene testing showing limited use (16th April 2009)
- Valleywag: Mrs. Google's project not so scientfic, say actual scientists (16th April 2009)
- Bio-IT World: Geneticists Debate the Value of Genome-Wide Association Studies (15th April 2009)
- New York Times: Genes show limited value in predicting common diseases (15th April)
- The Washington Post: Why did Sergei Brin stop blogging? (4th April 2009)
- New Scientist: Time for laws on genome spies (27th March 2009)
- New Scientist: How I felt when my hacked genome was read (26th March 2009)
- New Scientist: How my genome was hacked (25th March 2009)
- Seattle Times: DNA self-tests: More hype than help? (20th March 2009)
- GenomeWeb: NY State regulating DTC genomics firms as labs (19th March 2009)
- US News: DNA the new Dotcom? (17th March 2009)
- Gawker: Google sacrifices son, last shreds of integrity to science (12th March 2009)
- The Guardian: The day I had my genes tested (9th December 2008)
- The Guardian: Taming the genetic wild west (9th December 2008)
- The Sunday Times: Rival genetic tests leave buyers confused (7th September 2008)
- The Daily Mail: Expensive DNA tests are 'no more accurate than horoscopes' (2nd July 2008)
- The Mercury News: Genetic-testing business all but unregulated (28th June 2008)
- The New York Times: Gene testing questioned by regulators (26th June 2008)
- MedPage Today: Guidelines suggested for Direct-to-Consumer gene tests (25th April 2008)
- Forbes.com: States crack down on online gene tests (18th April 2008)
- Associated Press: Gene testing stirs medical debate (12th April 2008)
- Canadian Press: Market for personal gene scans questioned despite big backers (29th March 2008)
- The Guardian: DNA test website raises accuracy fears (22nd January 2008)
- The Guardian: Genetic tests branded a waste of money (1st December 2007)
- BBC: Firm offers online DNA analysis (16th November 2007)
- International Herald Tribune: US government report says better regulation needed for genetic testing (6th November 2006)
- New Scientist: Genetic testing: an informed choice? (6th October 2007)
- New Scientist: Beware gene screening advice (Editorial, 6th October 2007)
- Observer article - Scientists attack 'flawed' test for smoker's gene
- Observer article - Gene test to help you beat death sparks row on ethics
- Guardian article - Public misled by gene test hype