Yes,
Today started with my twitter feed notifying me that 23andMe had dropped their prices to 99 USD today. Which almost had me encouraging people to get testing, until I remembered that 23andSerge would then have your DNA..........FOREVER!
Then I opened my email and read this great note
"Dear Dr. Murphy,
Thank you so very much. I am so lucky to have found your team. Who would have thought my Plavix might not be working for me? Only when you told me about how it could not work did I realize that I might be taking something that is worthless. Thanks for testing me. Now that I am on Effient I feel much safer!
Thank you Dr. Murphy,
You saved my life!"
That's right. A genetic test, may have saved this patient from a heart attack. A genetic test I do regularly. Who has this patient's test result? Not some corporation that will use it for profit. No, just me, who will use it to act medically. While as these other services say explicitly, YOU CANNOT USE IT FOR MEDICINE!!
To be certain, you should not stop your Plavix WITHOUT talking to your doctor first!
Shame on them, their test could save a life. But not according to their TOS.
I will be speaking at the Consumer Genetic Show about precisely this problem and others. I was so surprised that they asked me to speak. Especially after the beating I gave it last year.
But on this DNA Day I am here to tell you, the public is aware now. DNA testing does hold promise, but only when in the right hands.........
The Sherpa Says: Pharmacogenomic testing IS MEDICINE. It is NOT FOR $H!T$ AND GIGGLES! Happy DNA Day!
Keith's note: The following was circulated by NASA Orion Management recently: "Today, a contracts letter was sent to Lockheed Martin relative to termination liability (TL). This letter, directed through NASA Headquarters, interprets the contract language to require the contractor to account for termination liability in its planning for each year of execution. Termination liability is the estimated value of contractor work required to close out the contract if terminated. This is not a notification of termination, but an interpretation of how the contractor should account for TL projections in the current year. The effect of the interpretation may have implications in how we execute the project. However, there are options available within NASA and Lockheed Martin that will be considered in the coming days to assure that we operate within the law while we attempt to execute the program. It is important that everyone keep in mind the President, the Congress, and the NASA Administrator have all publicly expressed their clear expectation that an Orion vehicle will continue to play a central role in the overall emerging space exploration policy and strategy. We are working closely with Lockheed Martin and NASA management to identify acceptable resolutions to this issue that have the least disruption to our integrated government/industry team and our collective ability to perform our mission."
