DTC-and-ME: Patient, provider, proteins and regulators

Abstract

The yet-unrealized potential for more "personalized" Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) tests to fundamentally alter the practice and economics of healthcare is undeniable. However, there are also many challenges to be met, including the herculean task of ensuring that the information provided by such tests is scientifically sound and, ideally, medically actionable. We consider recent events in DTC testing and suggest a "thought experiment" of an approach that could ultimately meet the needs of patients, providers and regulatory authorities. © 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.