Celebrity Genomes Are Good for Business
The news that actress Glenn Close has had her genome mapped by Illumina, one of the companies that is leading the race in whole-genome sequencing, is not just empty celebrity gossip. Close said that she decided to take the test, which costs $48,000, to "move science forward." Raising awareness about the potential impact of genetic testing and whole-genome sequencing to the masses is key to the business of personalized medicine, which is becoming more and more of a reality every day.
A new study released today at an American College of Cardiology conference found that a simple genetic test can help doctors determine the right dosage for patients who need to take the drug Warfarin, sold as Coumadin. According to The Associated Press:
The world's most common blood thinner is also one of its most dangerous drugs. One person's ideal dose can be 10 times that of another's. Even certain foods can throw it off.
Too much warfarin can lead to bleeding, too little can lead to clots, and either one can kill. Up to 20 percent of patients wind up in the hospital in their first six months on the drug.
Several companies sell tests for the two genes that control how warfarin is metabolized. But doctors wonder: Is it worth a $250-to-$400 test to guide the dose of a drug that costs less than $6 a month?This study, which was financed by Medco Health Solutions, which I reported last week is heavily investing in genetic testing, and conducted by researchers from the Mayo Clinic, found that patients who were given gene tests had a 30 percent lower risk of ending up in the hospital than patients whose doses were set by trial and error.
This study adds to an increasing amount of evidence that points to genetic tests as a good route for both preventative medicine and better drug delivery -- the real service behind genetic testing. But the problem with this kind of testing is that doctors and patients are still not aware of its potential -- and most of the focus is still on more superficial recreational genetics tests, which are sold by companies like 23andMe. So when a celebrity like Close gets her whole- enome mapped, rather than looking at it as a pointless luxury or the equivalent of space tourism, which some commentators have, think of it as a way to better health care and more business.
Photo via Flickr user Bob07024, CC 2.0