Genome Scanning Service 23andMe Drops Price To $399, Hopes To Promote 'Democrati

[Guest guest]

Genome Scanning Service 23andMe Drops Price To $399, Hopes To

Promote 'Democratization Of Genetic Information'

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120936.php

Personal DNA scanning service 23andMe on Tuesday is scheduled to

announce that it is lowering the price of its gene-mapping service

from $999 to $399 in order to attract more customers and expand its

database of individual genetic profiles to bolster medical research,

the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The price cut is made possible

by a new gene-scanning computer chip made by Illumina. The discount

makes the firm the least costly among competitors, whose prices range

from about $1,000 to $2,500.

These firms analyze a sampling of genes to find variations that could

indicate an individual's increased risk for certain diseases or

behavioral traits. 23andMe also offers social networking features

that allow customers to share their results with family and friends.

The company compiles the genetic information into databases, to which

researchers can gain access.

23andMe co-founder Anne Wojcicki said, " We're really focusing on the

democratization of genetic information " (Tansey, San Francisco

Chronicle, 9/9). The firm hopes the price cut will provide an influx

of genetic information and " hasten the day when a full genetic

screening becomes routine medical practice, " the AP/Denver Post

reports. Wojcicki said, " The mission of the company has always been

to enable anyone to be able to get access to their genetic

information. We really believe strongly that at some point everyone

who's born will get genotyped, " adding, " You'll have your information

and you'll use that to help guide some of your health care

decisions. " Avey, the company's other co-founder, said, " It's

just a data problem. We don't have enough " (Wohlsen, AP/Denver Post,

9/8). Avey said if the price " was what was really holding [consumers]

back, this will be a better price for them to get involved " (Pollack,

New York Times, 9/9).

However, some have raised concerns about the technology. Public

health officials have said knowledge of the relationships between

genes and most diseases is not sufficient to be used in making

serious medical decisions. Many have urged physicians, most of whom

are not trained in interpreting results of gene tests, to encourage

patients to be skeptical of such direct-to-consumer tests (AP/Denver

Post, 9/8). Nussbaum, chief of the medical genetics division

at University of California-San Francisco School of Medicine,

said, " The question is, 'What are the unanticipated consequences?' "

(San Francisco Chronicle, 9/9). New York and California regulators

have ordered that gene scanning companies stop advertising to

consumers until the businesses obtain a license to offer medical

tests. The states also have required that physicians order the tests

(New York Times, 9/9).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org.