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Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing

August 20, 2010 by

[HTML1] Genetic Testing is certainly in the news, as sophisticated testing products have moved out of the laboratory, and are now for sale at your neighborhood drugstore and online, with kits that enable you to discover your family and personal genomic history, your inherited risk for disease, including cancers, even how specific drugs are metabolized in your body. Confused? You’re not alone. The Federal Drug Administration shares those concerns, as the line blurs between laboratory tests once available only to physicians and hospitals and tests now available to you, as a consumer. To find the answers, Life Love & Health host Christopher Springmann speaks with Dr. Diane Allingham–Hawkins, Ph.D, the director of the Genetic Test Evaluation Program at Hayes, Incorporated. In addition to discussing the growing concerns associated with these tests, Dr. Allingham-Hawkins offers expert insight into the recently held meetings on FDA oversight of laboratory-developed tests and the Congressional hearing on direct-to-consumer genetic testing.

Segment A (0:00 – 11:00)

Segment B (11:01 – 22:00)

Segment C (22:01 – 33:00)

More about Diane Allingham–Hawkins
Dr. Allingham-Hawkins holds dual accreditation in molecular genetics and cytogenetics from the Canadian College of Medical Geneticists. From 2006 to 2009, she served as Vice-Chair of the Genetics Committee, Quality Management Program – Laboratory Services (QMP-LS), a division of the Ontario Medical Association. She also has served as Vice-President of the Clinical Doctoral Laboratory Scientists of Ontario (CDLSO) and as President of the Canadian College of Medical Geneticists.

More about Hayes, Inc.
Hayes, Inc. is an independent health technology research and consulting company dedicated to promoting better health outcomes through the use of evidence. Hayes performs unbiased, evidence-based health technology assessments of the safety and efficacy of new, emerging, and controversial health technologies, and evaluates the impact of these technologies on healthcare quality, utilization, and cost. The Hayes Genetic Test Evaluation Program provides objective, evidence-based assessments of genetic tests across a range of conditions and applications. Each report explains the science behind the genetic test, reviews the clinical evidence supporting the test, and describes how the test is used in clinical practice. Reports also identify the types of patients for whom the test is appropriate and the likelihood of reimbursement. Hayes’ worldwide clients include hospitals, healthcare systems, government agencies, employers, and managed care organizations.

© 2010 by On the Path Productions, LLC.  All rights reserved.

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About Christopher Springmann

Christopher Springmann is Executive Producer and Senior Correspondent of Life, Love and Health, the award-winning health and wellness program that reaches millions daily on multiple news, talk and sports channels including Sirius XM, CNN, FOX, NPR affiliates, American Forces Network, and HealthRadio.net.

Life, Love and Health is also Mr. Springmann’s latest endeavor in a journey of “creative convergence” that started as a photographer for Time, Fortune, National Geographic and Smithsonian magazines. He moved into writing leadership profiles for Chief Executive and California CEO magazines, which in turn provided the inspiration for creating Life, Love and Health: to fulfill the unmet need of telling America’s health story. Mr. Springmann meets this need in entertaining and emotionally engaging ways, with the authentic voices of real people, including a diverse group of doctors and nurses, patients and their families, plus researchers and innovators in the health-and-wellness field. He relies on the credibility and persuasiveness of people’s passionate storytelling to get the point across. People identify with the experiences of others and are encouraged to take positive, attainable actions to improve their personal and family health.

Christopher is also the Host of Life, Love and Health on WomensRadio. Life, Love and Health seeks to ultimately make a difference in people’s lives by encouraging individuals to take positive, attainable actions to improve their personal and family health.