Gene-Test Marketing Raises Public Health fears

A simple cheek swab can tell you about your ancestry. A bit of blood can tell you how likely you are to get cancer or heart disease. You can find out if you're destined to be a high-performance athlete or a Sunday morning quarterback.

Welcome to the wonderful world of direct-to-consumer genetic testing.

A simple computer search turns up dozens of companies offering DNA tests at a wide range of prices. Some are based on the latest cutting edge science, others offer legitimate if limited tests, and still others are out and out frauds.

And that worries some health care professionals.

"The field is ever-evolving, it's not regulated, and it's potentially fraught with difficulty for patients," said Erin Tracy, M.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital.

"My fear is that if people have tests and don't get appropriate counseling, they might make their own determinations" about treatment, Dr. Tracy said.

In a Personal Perspectives article in the December issue of the Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dr. Tracy argued that physicians need to be concerned about the rising tide of "unsubstantiated medical claims"...