ACMG Issues a Revised Position Statement Regarding DTC Genetic Testing

The American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) recently revised its position statement regarding direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing. Briefly, the ACMG recommends that:

• Knowledgeable professionals order the genetic test, which should be undertaken by a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) accredited laboratory.

• Board certified genetics experts, such as clinical geneticists, or genetic counselors should be available to assist with test interpretation

• DTC genetic tests should incorporate family history and patient-specific information into result reports, which should be presented in a manner that is comprehensible by the consumer.

• Consumers should be informed of the possibility of incidental findings and of the implications of these incidental findings for relatives.

• The scientific evidence underlying the validity and utility of a genetic test should be explicitly stated. 

• Consumers should be made aware of where test results will be stored, as well as the identities of the parties that will have access to the test results. 

Read the revised ACMG position statement.