Direct-to-consumer genetic testing in the news: a descriptive analysis

Glowing gels and pipettes aplenty: how do commercial stock image banks portray genetic tests?

News stories and patient-facing material about genetic tests are often illustrated by images, but the content of such images and the messages they propagate are rarely scrutinised. Stock image banks were searched to identify a hundred images relating to genetic tests and analysed using a multimodal critical discourse approach, aiming to identify what the images featured, how they were composed, and what they communicated about genetic testing. We found that images tended to focus on technical aspects of sample processing (for example, pipetting) and drew on older technologies (for example slab gel electrophoresis) when representing data arising from genetic tests. Composition choices like focussing images around pipette tips, or emphasising colour or brightness of electrophoretic bands, represented genetic testing as precise, unambiguous and illuminating. Only 7% of images featured a person having a genetic test, and only one image alluded to communication of genetic results. Current popular visual representations of genetic testing rarely highlight the possibility of uncertain or non-diagnostic outcomes, and may contribute to high public expectations of informativeness and certainty from such tests.

Obesity and Nutrigenetics Testing: New Insights

BACKGROUND

Obesity results from interactions between environmental factors, lifestyle, and genetics. In this scenario, nutritional genomics and nutrigenetic tests stand out, with the promise of helping patients avoid or treat obesity. This narrative review investigates whether nutrigenetic tests may help to prevent or treat obesity. Scientific studies in PubMed Science Direct were reviewed, focusing on using nutrigenetic tests in obesity. The work showed that few studies address the use of tools in obesity. However, most of the studies listed reported their beneficial effects in weight loss. Ethical conflicts were also discussed, as in most countries, there are no regulations to standardize these tools, and there needs to be more scientific knowledge for health professionals who interpret them. International Societies, such as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Brazilian Association for the Study of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome, do not recommend nutrigenetic tests to prevent or treat obesity, especially in isolation. Advancing nutrigenetics depends on strengthening three pillars: regulation between countries, scientific evidence with clinical validity, and professional training.

Ethical Issues Associated With Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing

Direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT) is becoming an increasingly profitable private enterprise that provides genetic testing kits directly to consumers. DTC-GT companies advertise themselves as a method for patients to take control of their own health and investigate their risk of diseases and conditions as well as look into their ancestry. The scope of practice of these companies continues to widen offering more services. Consumers may therefore have a relatively poor understanding of the services provided when purchasing these products. The testing methods utilised show some limitations, the consequences of which have the possibility of leading to harm to consumers. The result of the data gathered may instigate the formation of negative stereotypes from the public and reinforce existing ones towards a population that may have already been previously subjugated to unfair treatment. The controversy surrounding how data are utilised further impacts how many may engage in its use. This review aims to provide an overview of the services these companies purport to provide as well as highlight important ethical issues of the service such as quality of information, privacy concerns, negative psychosocial impact and the effect on clinical practice.