Direct to consumer genetic

testing
Prodan Alex, Fer Dewit, Monika Yanovska
Direct to consumer genetic testing
_______________________________________________
• DTC genetic testing refers to testing sold directly to consumers via
the Internet, television, or other marketing venues without having
any diagnostic purpose or involving health care professionals.
Direct to consumer
genetic testing
• Most of these test are non-
invasive and they only require
from the person using them
to provide a saliva sample or
buccal epithelium.
• Those samples are sent back
to the lab and in a few days
the clients will get they results
from genetic testing.
Rationality of DTC
______________________________________
•Identity-Seeking
•Testing for risk of diseases
•Curiosity
•Improving current lifestyle

What are the moral pros and cons – and how do you evaluate these?
Benefits of DTC genetic testing
____________________________________
• Improves the ability of a
consumer to make health
choices based on his genetic
background
• Raises the awareness
regarding genetics in general
population
• Accessible
• Affordable
Concerns about DTC genetic testing
_____________________________________________

• Rules and regulation loopholes

• Privacy of your results
• May result in a negative emotional
burden
• Accuracy
• Reliability
• Clinical meaning
Conclusion
________________________

• DTC genetic testing is still in its infancy and there is a long way until it
could become common practice for public health care.
• This field has tremendous potential and with a very competitive
market the prices will go down while the technology necessary will
become more mature and the reliability will increase.
• Because the popularity of this type of practice is given by the
reliability of the tests, a thorough scientific review of the procedures
used and FDA approval may boost the general population trust.

Future prospects of DTC genome testing: overcome disadvantages -

increased government regulations, part of the health care industry,
reasonable pricing, introduce genomic privacy