Genetic Testing: Now Available at Your Drugstore
Futuristic it may sound, but personalized genetic testing kit is expected to hit the mass market soon. Shoppers visiting drugstores to purchase their regular medicine will be able to pick up something unusuala genetic testing kit to decipher the mysteries of ailments at a genetic level. Insight Saliva Collection kit will be available at about 6,000 of Walgreens' 7,500 drugstores across U.S. (except New York due to state law prohibition). Pathway Genomics, a genetic testing company, based in the San Diego, manufactures this kit. The test kit, which includes a saliva collection kit, instructions and a postage-paid envelope, will be priced $20 to $30. The customers can use the supplied envelope to dispatch their saliva sample to the Pathway Genomics Laboratory. Once this process is completed, they can create a secure, password-protected user account in Pathways Web site ([Link]) and order tests relevant to them. Pathway primarily offers individualized genetic test for Drug Response (Medication) ($79), PrePregnancy Planning ($179), Health Conditions ($179) or a combination of all three ($249). "We're revolutionizing the way people access information about their genetics, and through thousands of convenient Walgreens locations, we're making it easier and more affordable than ever before to order a personalized genetic report," noted Jim Plante, CEO of Pathway Genomics. "The value of knowing how genes play a role in our personal lives, and potentially the lives of our children, is critical for making well-informed health and wellness decisions." Personalized Tests for Specific Conditions Pathways saliva test claims to assess a persons risk for Type 1 and 2 Diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinsons disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer and a host of other diseases. If you easily put on weight, the test can even offer a genetic explanation for this. It can identify if you are at a risk of becoming obese and enlighten you about the need of regular exercise and healthy diet. For those thinking about starting a family of their own, but are concerned if they are carriers of genes for cystic fibrosis or Tay-Sachs, a personal
genetic testing may be the first step to alert them about the risks of passing on the genetic diseases to their children. The prospective parents can be tested to check for up to 23 genetic conditions. The test can also even help investigate the response to medications or other substances such as cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins, the breast cancer drug Tamoxifen, the blood anticoagulant warfarin and caffeine to name a few.
Mixed Reviews to Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing While health and non-health related genetic tests have been sold on the internet for over two years, Pathway Genomics kit would be the first of its kind to be readily available in your corner drugstore. The easy accessibility of such health-focussed genetic tests is bound to evoke mixed reviews. This direct-to-consumer genetic test is being favored by pro-genetic testing community who are optimistic that unraveling genetic code will initiate new era in biomedical science. The bold move is being objected by those who worry about the expected consequences, such as genetic discrimination, unnecessary anxiety, and privacy issues. The test comes in the wake of the ethical, legal and social concerns raised by the Human Genome Project. Bioethicists, geneticists, doctors, federal regulators and patients have been facing a growing struggle with how to deal with a deluge of genetic information, tests and technologies generated from the massive Project. Joan A. Scott, director of the Genetics and Public Policy Center at Johns Hopkins University states, "It's the first widespread retail availability of genetic tests that are directed specifically at health issues. However, the Food and Drug Administration challenged the legality aspect of selling the test as it has no authorization from the agency. A False Security or a Needless Alarm Sharon F. Terry, head of the Genetic Alliance, a Washington-based coalition of patient groups, researchers, private companies, government agencies and public policy organizations, is skeptical about the use of genetic resources and whether the test is worth spending peoples money.
Many have questioned the reliability of test results in providing helpful supervision since interpretation of genetic markers is not well studied until now. Others expressed fear over the irresponsible nature of the test since it may mislead buyers into a dangerous, assumed sense of protection or, alarm them pointlessly.
- Daisy Rani Devi