GESTIÓN EN SALUD PÚBLICA: FDA green-lights more 23andMe genetic tests

sábado, 8 de abril de 2017

FDA green-lights more 23andMe genetic tests | BioEdge

FDA green-lights more 23andMe genetic tests

FDA green-lights more 23andMe genetic tests

by Xavier Symons | 7 Apr 2017 |

The US Food and Drug Administration will allow the genetic testing company 23andMe to market tests for 10 serious disease and conditions, in a move that marks an about-face on the 2013 moratorium imposed on it.

The newly approved tests will use saliva samples to report on telltale markers for conditions such as Coeliac disease, Gaucher disease type 1, and blood clotting disorders. The tests will be marketed as part of the US$199 Health and Ancestry test that the company already provides.

The screening services are the first direct-to-consumer tests authorized by the FDA that provide information on an individual’s genetic predisposition to certain medical diseases or conditions.

In 2015 the FDA gave approval to 23andMe to test for mutated genes that may lead to diseases such as cystic fibrosis in children.

While some have welcomed the FDA approval, others are wary of direct-to-consumer genetic testing.

Speaking with the New York Times, James Beck, chief scientific officer of the Parkinson’s Foundation, said the decision set a dangerous precedent for the disclosure of information without prior genetic counselling. “Once you get the test and read the results, there is no going back,” Dr. Beck said.

Saturday, April 8, 2017

The civil war in Syria may have moved into a dangerous new stage. President Trump ordered a strike on a government air force base, blaming the regime for dropping sarin, a lethal chemical weapon, on a northern town. He announced his decision in an emotional speech:

"Assad choked out the lives of innocent men, women and children. It was a slow and brutal death for so many. Even beautiful babies were cruelly murdered in this very barbaric attack. No child of god should ever suffer such horror."

As everyone knows, there are no good guys in this appalling war. The attack on Khan Sheikhoun was just more spectacular than the daily slaughter of three here, a dozen there. If you consult the website of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights or Syria Deeply, the headlines are enough to make anyone weep. One of the most distressing aspects of the conflict is the "weaponisation of healthcare" -- deliberately targeting medical personnel and facilities to terrorise the population. You can read about it below.

Oh, I almost forgot: there will be no newsletter next Saturday because the BioEdge team will be celebrating Easter. Cheers!