Get a prescription filled, buy a magazine, and get your DNA tested, all in one stop. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Walgreens will soon be selling genetic-testing kits priced from $20 to $30 apiece that can tell people whether they're likely to get breast cancer, Alzheimer's disease, become obese, or suffer from a range of other maladies. However, to get the results of various tests, shoppers will have to fork over an additional $79 for drug-response results, $179 for 'pre-pregnancy planning' results, $179 for health condition results, or $249 for a combination of the three.
Other companies already offer such tests online, but Walgreens will be the first brick-and-mortar retailer to sell the DNA tests.
The announcement has prompted U.S. Food and Drug Administration to consider issuing the test manufacturer, Pathway Genomics of San Diego, a warning that Pathway must first obtain the FDA’s approval. Ultimately, the FDA could move to take the tests off the shelves. However, Walgreens and Pathway Genomics claim that no such approval is necessary. The companies replied that FDA clearance is not required to sell the kit in its stores; and anyway, the drugstore chain and several of its competitors already sell other diagnostic and testing products such as pregnancy tests, paternity tests, and drug tests.
The Sun-Times article doesn't mention testing for genealogy so we can assume that is not included. Maybe next year?
You can read more in the Chicago Sun-Times web site at http://www.suntimes.com/business/2261090,walgreens-sell-genetic-test-fda-051110.article
