Walgreens to Wait on Cheap Genetic Tests

FDA: No proof kits are safe, effective
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted May 13, 2010 6:32 AM CDT
Walgreens to Wait on Cheap Genetic Tests
If you're looking for a genetic test kit at Walgreens, keep walking.   (AP Photo/Russel A. Daniels, file)

Drugstore giant Walgreen Co. will hold off selling over-the-counter genetic tests. The company announced Tuesday that the kits would be on shelves this month, but reversed the decision after a stiff response from regulators. "These kits have not been proven safe, effective, or accurate," an FDA rep said. The tests would have been the first low-cost, mass-marketed product to screen for genes associated with diseases like prostate cancer, cystic fibrosis, and diabetes. Click here to read more about the tests. (More genetics stories.)

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