Into the Personal Genomics Fray

Counsyl, a Stanford University start-up, has announced its Universal Genetic Test that allows prospective parents to determine whether their child would be at risk for more than 100 genetic diseases. The company’s press release says that the test “is free with insurance for more than 100 million Americans” and “is now offered by physicians at more than 100 prestigious medical centers.” At Genetic Future, Daniel MacArthur, who has used a free kit from Counsyl, says he is intrigued by its approach, especially that it is covered by some insurance companies and that it will likely face question about the ethics of screening for carriers. “Counsyl's offering is intensely focused: the goal is simply to pick up as many known serious disease-associated mutations as possible,” he writes.