The FDA authorization of direct-to-consumer genetic testing for three BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants: A twitter analysis of the public's response

Abstract

Objectives: In March 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its authorization of a direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic test for three pathogenic BRCA1/2 variants. We sought to determine to whether social media discussion increased following the authorization, who was driving social media conversations, and what topics were discussed. Methods: Using Crimson Hexagon, we described tweets before, during, and after the FDA announcement authorizing 23andMe to return BRCA1/2 results (3/4/18-3/10/18). We conducted qualitative coding of a subset of 605 tweets to better understand Twitter communication. Results: We identified 11 055 twitter posts across the week of FDA's announcement. Twitter discourse about 23andMe and the FDA authorization peaked the day following the FDA's press release. Most tweets (48.6%) were informational and 26.3% were either expressing opinions (about 23andMe and/or FDA authorization, 14.9%) or testimonials (personal experiences with genetic testing, 11.4%). The types of tweets varied over the week-long period (P