AMA: restrict people's access to their own genomes

[Warren Dew]

American Medical Association: You Can’t Look At Your Genome Without Our Supervision

The American Medical Association has written a letter to the US Food and Drug Administration as part of the lead-up to the FDA’s meeting on direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing next month. The tone is predictable: the medical establishment is outraged by the idea of people having access to their own genetic information without the supervision of its members, and they want the FDA to stop it....

So, to paraphrase:

| We don’t actually know how to interpret genetic information, but we should be the only people allowed to do it.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/ ... pervision/

[JimC]

Acces to the raw data is one thing; perhaps the AMA is more concerned about shonky, fly-by-night companies who may do a poor job at both analysing and interpreting the information. Their interpretations which they basically sell to customers may have little scientific validity. Consumers who then act on that faulty information may make dangerous medical decisions.