“But supporters of the company said such concerns were unfounded and that people had a right to the information in their own DNA.”
A genetic testing service, 23andMe was ordered by the Food and Drug Administration to stop providing information regarding customers’ risks for certain diseases using their DNA samples. Before FDA gives the green light to carry on with its practice, the company can only provide ancestry information and raw data. If the concern is with customers taking inappropriate actions based on the test results, 23andMe should invest in hiring doctors or genetic counselors in their business. With proper regulation in ensuring that the company is not making money from misusing customer’s DNA information or producing inaccurate test results, people should be able to benefit from the scientific means of finding out about their health risks so they can start their prevention in advance. Better still, companies should provide follow-up consultancy service in assisting customers with how they would react to the test results.
