ordinary people can now try to be masters of their own health, as private companies offer online DNA testing and CT or whole body MRI. But these services often offer health information without the advice of a doctor, have generated much controversy in the medical community, the claims that the results of the companies provide can be inaccurate or misleading for the average layman.
In response to this question, the Nuffield Council on Bioethics U.K. launched a consultation today on the ethical, legal, social and economic issues behind these commerical health services. The council is seeking the views of people interested in these services, as well as academics and businesses that can grow or provide such personalized medical tests.
Currently, there are no comprehensive settlement of commercial DNA tests or body imaging in the UK. commercial test is convenient and allows people to take more personal responsibility for their health, "but the potential problems are many times," says Hugh Whittall, Director of the Board. Some argue that offered DNA tests are often not enough to give an accurate indication of the risk of validated disease, he said. And CT scans, Whittall added, is known to produce false positives in which the picture wrongly diagnoses a problem. In addition, private tests are expensive: A whole body MRI or CT scan can cost several thousand pounds.
The council hopes to report back on these issues by spring 2010 and will likely make recommendations on how the UK government should regulate these direct medical tests to consumers.
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