document: Do At-Home Genetic Tests Tell Too Much and Explain Too Little ? Experts say field is in its infancy and consumers should seek professional opinions on results FRIDAY , April 1 -LRB- HealthDay News -RRB- - At-home pregnancy tests can tell you unequivocally in minutes whether a baby is on the way and if it is time to call your doctor . But , at-home genetic tests - which may offer tantalizing clues about future health risks - are still in their infancy , and genetic counselors are concerned that the results may puzzle or even panic consumers who do n't seek professional guidance . The explosion of direct-to-consumer genetic tests over the past several years has made it seemingly simple to test for a wide variety of medical scenarios . A swab of the cheek or a vial of blood can discern whether one is a carrier of an inherited disorder such as cystic fibrosis , for instance , or predict the risk for diseases such as breast cancer or Parkinson 's . Newer tests purportedly predict how people might respond to a specific drug or medical treatment . But shelling out several hundred dollars or more for one of these tests - which are widely available online - does not equip consumers to understand the findings or their repercussions , genetic counselors say . Because people might base medical decisions on the results , the U.S. Food and Drug Administration decided this month to restrict the tests on a case-by-case basis . '' `` To me , it 's still very much in the recreational realm , '' '' said Caroline Lieber , a genetic counselor and director of the graduate program in human genetics at Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers , N.Y. '' `` The concern I have is the majority of the people feel knowledge is power , whereas most have n't thought through the implications at all . '' '' The U.S. Human Genome Project , begun 21 years ago to map out which genes are responsible for both physical and functional traits , led to unprecedented knowledge about how genes affect people 's propensity for dozens of traits and conditions . But few predicted at the outset the complications that capitalism might create . A recent undercover study of 15 direct-to-consumer tests by the U.S. Government Accountability Office found '' `` egregious examples of deceptive marketing , in addition to poor or non-existent advice from supposed consultation experts , '' '' according to a recent report in The Lancet . The bottom line , Lieber said , is that an increasing number of companies ' bottom lines are impacted by people 's desires to live longer , healthier lives . '' `` My sense right now is it 's very much about those companies making money , '' '' said Lieber , whose human genetics master 's program at Sarah Lawrence is the nation 's first and largest . '' `` The cynic in me says they 're doing it mostly to make money , but I do think that 's changing . Now phone counseling is being offered , and it 's better than not having anything . '' '' Whether conducted by phone , Internet or in person , such counseling - if done by qualified experts - can help translate hard science into information that the average consumer can understand . For example , if a genetic test shows a low risk of diabetes , that does n't mean that diet , exercise and other healthy lifestyle measures are n't necessary , said Dr. Robb Rowley , an internal medicine physician at Amigenics , a Las Vegas-based genetic testing and counseling group . '' `` At this point , I still recommend genetic testing be done through a health-care provider , '' '' said Rowley , whose patients mostly consult on their predisposition to cancer . '' `` Some have dire consequences ... and without having a physician involved , people might do something -LSB- to change their lives -RSB- that they would n't otherwise do . '' '' Lieber said she thinks most who order at-home tests are unaware counseling exists to help them interpret the results . Others , she suspects , do n't want the scrutiny of outsiders knowing their personal medical history . '' `` Probably my biggest concern is to have them understand genetic counselors are not there to tell people what to do . I think that 's a misperception about the field , '' '' she said . But , '' `` if the results make them view themselves not as a person , but as a carrier for something - if they have n't thought about it - it can truly be damaging . '' '' Rowley said the ultimate scenario , which he predicts is five to 10 years out , is to be able to use each individual 's unique DNA to optimize their care . '' `` The goal in the future is to be able to take that individual and say , '' `` Do n't worry about osteoporosis , let 's focus on your cardiovascular health , and by the way , this medication has a 40 percent chance of working for you , '' '' '' '' Rowley said . '' `` To a limited extent , we 're there now . '' ''
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