Effect of Direct-to-Consumer Genomewide Profiling to Assess Disease Risk

In this study, subjects were assessed before and after receiving results of direct-to-consumer genomewide profiling to assess disease risk. Receipt of the results appeared to have no substantial effect on psychological health or behavior; however, 44% of subjects did not complete the follow-up assessment. Direct-to-consumer genomewide profiling to assess disease risk provides information about a person's genetic risk of 20 to 40 common polygenic diseases. The tests simultaneously genotype approximately 500,000 variant bases of a person's DNA. Consumers can purchase these tests, currently priced between $400 and $2,000, on the Internet. 1 – 4 Consultation with a health care provider is not a prerequisite. Proponents argue that providing this type of information directly to consumers may result in improved compliance with health-screening practices and more healthful lifestyle choices. Skeptics assert that such testing has the potential to cause harm, including anxiety and increased use of unnecessary . . .