Lawmakers in the UK call for a review of direct-to-consumer genetic testing regulations, the Independent reports.
In a new report, members of Parliament sitting on the Science and Technology Committee appeal to policymakers to examine the risks of at-home genetic testing. In particular, the report asks policymakers to consider, when they update regulations, having an independent group conduct premarket assessments of tests that examine their clinical and analytical performances as well as developing technical standards and requiring genetic counseling to be offered.
"For thousands of people, at-home genomic testing has opened the door to a wealth of new information about our ancestry, our health, and even the likelihood of disease. Done properly, genomic testing offers great potential for individual knowledge and can provide data which can advance medical research," Greg Clark, the chair of the committee, says in a statement. "However, these technologies can give rise to questions of quality, which are difficult for consumers to assess, and can sometimes pose challenging ethical questions."
The Independent adds that the committee also asks policymakers to consider restricting the testing of children.