J. Craig Venter vs DTC Genetics: 23andMe and Navigenics Get Scrutinized

J. Craig Venter and colleagues have launched a full frontal assault on direct-to-consumer genetic firms, by publishing an opinion piece in Nature that calls into question the value of DTC genetic tests. By conducting a small experiment that compared tests from two competing companies (23andMe of Mountain View, CA, and Navigenics of Foster City, CA), the team showed the presence of some serious inconsistencies between the results. Moreover, Venter’s group questions how much practical and actionable information one could gain from these tests, and suggests stronger, more effective reporting standards for this newly emerging direct-to-consumer technology.
Opinion in Nature: An agenda for personalized medicine…
Editorial in Nature: Putting DNA to the test