Direct-to-consumer genetic test results may be unreliable

(Reuters Health) – Genetic tests sold online or in stores may produce false results, warn genetics experts in the UK.

When one of these tests indicates a “health risk,” it doesn’t necessarily mean someone will develop the health problem, and conversely, “reassuring” results may be unreliable, they caution in the medical journal BMJ.

“We had several people come to our clinic who appeared to have a genetic test result that put them at very high risk of developing a condition, for example, cancer,” said senior author Anneke Lucassen of the University of Southampton.

“When we checked their result with a more detailed technique, we found that it wasn’t there,” she told Reuters Health by email. “We then realized that colleagues across the country were coming across similar examples.”

Although most manufacturers warn against making healthcare decisions based on the results of direct-to-consumer (DTC) tests, some people do, Lucassen added.

“I think people often…