[ExI] FDA Tells Google-Backed 23andMe to Halt DNA Test Service

BillK pharos at gmail.com
Wed Nov 27 15:59:06 UTC 2013


On Wed, Nov 27, 2013 at 3:04 PM, spike  wrote:
<snip>
> BillK, if the FDA goes after 23andMe, which of those two will you be rooting for?
>
>

Note that the FDA is not complaining about the genealogical DNA
analysis. You can still trace your relatives and there are other
companies doing this analysis. No problems with that.

It is the medical 'snake-oil' that the FDA doesn't like. And it has a
lot of medical and scientific support.
Do these DNA risk factors mean anything? What about all the other
genes and epigenetic factors not checked? What about false positives
and false negatives? Do these tests actually work?  It is all
unverified.

I think it is too early to be making health recommendations. We don't
know enough about how our DNA affects us and how genes interact with
each other. More research is required.

Maybe if 23andMe enhanced the genealogy side and toned down the
medical side to vague 'worth asking your doctor about' hints, they
might keep the FDA happy.

BillK



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