23andMe is a genetic testing company that will analyze your personal collection of genes and suggest related health—and disease—implications. If you know you’re prone to developing a certain disease or condition, perhaps you can take steps beforehand to mitigate the risk.
The company was recently directed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to stop selling their service. Click for the FDA’s warning letter to 23andMe’s CEO.
Some have questioned 23andMe’s motives. Charles Seife, writing at Scientific American, has some ideas:
But as the FDA frets about the accuracy of 23andMe’s tests, it is missing their true function, and consequently the agency has no clue about the real dangers they pose. The Personal Genome Service isn’t primarily intended to be a medical device. It is a mechanism meant to be a front end for a massive information-gathering operation against an unwitting public.
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What does 23andMe want to do with all that data? Right now the talk is all about medical research—and, in fact, the company is doing some interesting work. It has been sifting through its genomic database, which is combined with information that volunteers submit about themselves, to find possible genetic links to people’s traits. (The bright-light/sneeze genetic tag is a 23andMe discovery.) More promising are 23andMe’s attempts to recruit people who suffer from certain diseases, such as Parkinson’s and a few types of cancer. Simply through brute-force pattern matching, the company has a chance of finding genetic causes of these ailments, which could lead to a way to combat them. (And perhaps a blockbuster patent or three.)
That’s just the beginning, though.
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Tagged 23andMe, FDA, Food and Drug Administration, genetic testing, genome testing
We wouldn’t expect lower prices and better service if America’s supermarkets were run by the federal government, so why would health care be any different?
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1. Amputation
2. Liposuction
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…according to an article at MedPageToday. If you’re white, this may not pertain to you. The study mostly involved Hispanics.
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Around one-third of the popular supplements aren’t what they claim to be.
What’s really in that herbal supplement bottle?
I doubt the prescription pharmaceutical industry is anywhere near this bad. A quote of a quote:
“This suggests that the problems are widespread and that quality control for many companies, whether through ignorance, incompetence or dishonesty, is unacceptable,” said David Schardt, a senior nutritionist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, an advocacy group. “Given these results, it’s hard to recommend any herbal supplements to consumers.”
If you know me, you know I don’t quote CSPI very often.
…thanks to science-based research. Science-Based Medicine blog has the poop. A quote:
In my world of treating patients with retinal disease, a revolution has taken place over the past few years. The most aggressive form of macular degeneration has been transformed from a relentlessly progressive, disabling disease to one which can be tamed with medication. Now, patients diagnosed with exudative macular degeneration can expect stablization and even improvement in vision.
It is a story worthy of a Hollywood movie. Start with a reluctant hero; add controversy, Wall Street, politics, and most important of all, a happy ending.
The article is mostly about game-changing VEGF-binding drugs. VEGF = vascular endothelial growth factor. The one I’ve heard most about is Avastin.
Well worth a read if someone you know has age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).
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Tagged ARMD, Avastin, macular degeneration, VEGF
Patients may need help managing metabolic and endocrine disorders with healthy eating and lifestyle choices, and now there’s a comprehensive set of clinical guidelines, issued jointly by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American College of Endocrinology, and the Obesity Society, to assist them.
I lost interest when they recommended avoiding saturated fats. There’s no call for that.
All patients, in addition to receiving an education in nutrition and meal preparation, should engage in 150 minutes or more of physical activity weekly, and learn ways to avoid a sedentary lifestyle, receive adequate sleep, and budget time to relax and reduce stress. Patients should also generally consume a mix of animal and plant proteins and carbohydrates. They should reduce the fat consumed with dairy and animal products, and avoid saturated fats.
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Two key recommendations he noted were that healthy eating with a focus on fresh foods — such as fruits and vegetables — was central to a healthy meal plan, and that there was no evidence to support consumption of vitamin supplements except in deficient populations.
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In a recent post, I shared my concern and puzzlement on Chase Bank limiting my access to money in my small business account. Here’s an excerpt from Infowars:
Chase Bank confirmed to Infowars that all business account holders were being subjected to these new regulations. Given that even a relatively small grocery store or restaurant is likely to turnover more than $50k a month in cash payments, this appears to be part of a wider move to shut down businesses who mainly deal in cash. Chase told us customers would have to upgrade to much more expensive accounts to avoid the capital controls, meaning larger corporations will not be affected. The bottom line is that banks think your money is their money and will do everything in their power to prevent you from withdrawing it in large quantities.
Chase Bank has moved to limit cash withdrawals while banning business customers from sending international wire transfers from November 17 onwards, prompting speculation that the bank is preparing for a looming financial crisis in the United States by imposing capital controls.
I don’t know if the federal government put Chase up to this—in preparation for confiscation or a banking collapse—or if it’s just a bad decision within Chase.
Offhand, I estimate that 80% of the banking in the U.S. is done at only four or five mega-banks, one of which is JP Morgan Chase.
I got a fishy letter from Chase a few days ago:
You will no longer be able to send international wire transfers….
Your cash activity limit for these accounts will be $50,000 per statement cycle, per account. Cash activitiy is the combined total of cash deposits made at branches, night drops and ATMs and cash withdrawals made at branches (including purchases of money orders) and ATMs.
[Bold in the original.]
Why?
“These changes will help us more effectively manage the risks involved with these types of transactions.”
Please note that I seriously doubt I’ve been singled out for this letter. I’ve never wired money internationally. The letter did mention I’m “…receiving this letter based on the activity of your checking account(s) as of June 30, 2013. Based on your activity at that time, these changes are not likely to affect the way you bank.” [Bold in the original.]
It sure sounds like Chase wants to restrict my ability to move my money around as I see fit.
I wonder if this has anything to do with recent banking events in Cyprus and Poland, where the governments confiscated financial assets of private individuals to pay for poor planning by the politicians, i.e., budget deficits.
If you have any insight, please enlighten me.
—Steve
Update October 16, 2013:
Alex Jones’ Infowars has an article on this issue, including a copy of the form letter I received from Chase. It’s small consolation to know I wasn’t singled out for the letter.
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Advanced Mediterranean Diet 