Policy Implications of Genetic Testing: Not Just for Geneticists Anymore

Genetic testing is expanding rapidly to become part of mainstream medicine. While genetic tests bring with them the promise of improved diagnosis and treatment for patients, they also raise several policy challenges. These challenges include the lack of a coherent oversight system to ensure the quality of tests and testing laboratories, the rise of direct-to-consumer genetic testing, the dearth of professional guidelines to assist the transition of genetic tests from research to medical practice, and the absence of federal legislation to protect the privacy of genetic information and prevent genetic discrimination.