Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing refers to genetic tests
that are marketed directly to consumers via television, print
advertisements, or the Internet. This form of testing, which is
also known as at-home genetic testing, provides access to a
person’s genetic information without necessarily involving a
doctor or insurance company in the process. [definition from
NLM's Genetic Home Reference Handbook] Almost two years ago I
wrote about 23andMe (23andMe: 23notMe, not yet), a well known
DTC company, that offers a genetics scan (SNP-genotyping) to the
public ‘for research’, ‘for education’ and ‘for fun’: “Formally
23andMe denies there is a diagnostic purpose (in part, surely,
because the company doesn’t want to antagonize the FDA, which
strictly regulates diagnostic testing for disease). However,
23andme does give information on your risk profile for certain
diseases, including Parkinson” In another post Personalized
Genetics: Too Soon, Too Little? I summarized an editorial by
Ioannides on the topic. His