FDA Approved Breast Cancer DNA Test by 23andMe May do More Harm than Good

Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the first time approved an at-home genetic testing kit without a doctor’s prescription to predict the risk of breast cancer. While there’s no doubt the move will be celebrated by some, the truth is that there is cause for serious concern. This decision by the FDA threatens to do more harm than good for women at risk of and living with breast cancer.

Most immediately, the 23andMe test approved for over-the-counter use looks at just three of the more than 1000 known BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. While these three specific mutations are the most common BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations for people of Ashkenazi ancestry, they are not the most common BRCA mutations in the broader population, raising serious health equity concerns. This means that if you’re someone who receives a negative result from the 23andMe test, there is still the possibility that you may carry other harmful BRCA mutations that increase the risk of breast cancer.

At Breast Cancer Action, we’ve long argued that genetic testing should always be accompanied by independent...