Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Emma Wilkinson’s article published in October 2022 in The BMJ on the impact of direct-to-consumer testing on the public and the NHS, and of how this relates to the regulation of direct-to-consumer health testing.
Whilst no specific assessment has been made of Nolan and Ormondroyd’s systematic review published in March 2023 or Emma Wilkinson’s article published in October 2022, the Government recognises both the opportunities and risks raised by direct-to-consumer genomic tests and is committed to ensuring effective and proportionate regulation.
In consideration of the regulation of direct-to-consumer genetic and health testing, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is working to develop a robust, world-leading regulatory regime for such medical devices that prioritises patient safety.