Ronald Bailey Says Leave 23andMe Alone
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In November the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned the direct-to-consumer gene testing company 23andMe to stop marketing its $99 genotype screening test. The FDA's letter gave 23andMe 15 days to respond, warning that if the agency didn't like what it heard, the potential results could "include, but are not limited to, seizure, injunction, and civil money penalties." Ronald Bailey says that despite the FDA's parade of horrible hypotheticals, the bigger risk is that increased regulation will slow down the progress of beneficial genetic testing and treatment.