In early May, Walgreens Pharmacy had announced its plan to distribute and sell an over the counter genetic testing kit made by Pathway Genomics, Inc that gives results based on a simple saliva collection. Originally touted as an empowering move, giving consumers more insight on genetic predisposition to a host of particular disease states, it came under intense fire from the FDA just 2 days before it was to be released. Ultimately, because it did not have FDA approval, Walgreens decided not to sell the product until further investigation had been completed.
The idea of genetic testing, and the actual testing itself is not new, and has been taking place for many years. Whats new, is the idea of mass marketing the results of an individuals genetic predisposition to certain disease types. On one hand, a person who finds out they possess a particular gene say to breast cancer and are doomed to die from it early in their life. They may even take precautionary actions like a mastectomy. On the other hand, a person may find out they do not possess a particular gene predisposing them to skin cancer, and may therefore not take the normal precautions when in the sun.
Although genetic testing can be a very useful tool for doctors, it may not be in the best interest of each and every individual to know. It is important to take care of yourself and protect yourself, regardless of what genes may be in your DNA. And if it is imperative that you know, using a doctor who can fully discuss what the results mean is an invaluable tool that should be used.
What do you think, should the tests be available to the masses?
