Beyond the Clinic: ‘Direct-to-Consumer‘ Genomic Profiling Services and Pharmacogenomics

Abstract

This article provides an overview of commercial pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics testing services offered online. The concept of ‘beyond-the-clinic‘ (BTC) genomic testing is introduced to refer to the variety of formats in which these tests are offered and a typology of BTC models is developed. The authors review such models in relation to tests for individual drug response that are currently on offer. In conclusion, the authors argue that the evolving BTC domain provides opportunities for the pioneering of integrated data repositories, whose gatekeepers are patients or citizens. The authors anticipate that such developments will benefit pharmacogenomics sooner than other areas of medical practice.

KEYWORDS::

• beyond-the-clinic
• DTC genomics
• personal genomics
• pharmacogenomics

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge helpful comments from D Gurwitz, D Vorhaus and three anonymous referees.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.