Back in February of 2009 23andMe/Serge decided to do testing for genetic founder mutations.........


Yet they claimed it wasn't medicine and should not be used for medicine.


BRCA Ashkenazi Jewish founder mutations offer information that can confer an elevated risk of Breast, Ovarian, possibly melanoma, Pancreatic and maybe blood cancer.


There really isn't any other thing that these tests can be used for other than medical decision making and diagnosis. The diagnosis would be Genetic Risk for Cancer. There is a medical code for it in the International Classification of Diseases 9th Edition. In fact there are multiple codes. The v84.0 super family of codes.


Granted this presentation was a bit manic and the iPhone volume control was horrible (turn down your speaker volume). But the point is clear. Either founder mutation testing is a medicine or it is not.


You cannot have it both ways. Say what it means. If that means your state requires physician consultation or ordering, do it.


If it doesn't, well, I strongly recommend you receive that healthcare provider service.