FDA approval sought for personal DNA test

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Genetic test maker 23andMe is asking the Food and Drug Administration to approve its personalized DNA test in a move that, if successful, could boost acceptance of technology that is viewed skeptically by leading scientists who question its usefulness.

23andMe is part of a fledgling industry that allows consumers to peek into their genetic code for details about their ancestry and future health. The company’s saliva-based kits have attracted scrutiny for claiming to help users detect whether they are likely to develop illnesses such as breast cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.

The biology of how DNA variations actually lead to certain diseases still is poorly understood, and many geneticists say such tests are built on flimsy evidence.

For years, the Silicon Valley company has resisted government regulation, arguing that it simply provides consumers with information, not a medical service. But now company executives say they are seeking government approval — and the scientific credibility that comes with it.

“It’s the next step for us to work with the FDA and actually say, ‘This is clinically relevant information, and consumers should work with their physicians on what to do with it,’” said CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki, who is married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Google and Brin have invested millions in the privately held company, which is based in Mountain View, Calif.

Wojcicki says the shift in strategy reflects the growing scope of the company’s test kit, which now measures the risks of developing more than 115 various diseases.