The development is a positive for plaintiff Amy Williams, who has said she hopes her lawsuit will spur greater accountability and transparency among genetic testing labs.
Though the South Carolina Supreme Court said Quest was a healthcare provider, Williams can try to keep her case alive by arguing she's alleging ordinary negligence.
Attendees at the recent AMP meeting grappled with issues brought to light in a lawsuit regarding the alleged negligent misclassification of a patient's genetic variant.
In Williams v Quest/Athena, a federal district court judge has asked the highest state court to clarify if a genetic testing lab is a licensed healthcare provider.
A high-profile, independent committee is considering the liability issues impacting labs as genetic testing increasingly becomes integrated into patient care.
It is now up to Margaret Seymour, a senior judge in US District Court in the District of South Carolina, whether Williams' case should be dismissed or decided by a jury.
The New York Times reports that evidence linking trauma in one generation to epigenetic effects that influence subsequent generations may be overstated.
