NIH Launches Genetics Test Database

The federal agency unveils a collection of thousands of genetic tests for some 2,500 diseases.

Written byJef Akst

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The Genetic Testing Registry, launched today (March 1) by the National Center for Biotechnology Information aims to help physicians, patients, and researchers sort through the wealth of genetic tests currently on the market to identify appropriate application of each, ScienceInsider reported. Because most genetic tests don't require Food and Drug Administration approval to be sold as a lab service rather than a medical device, experts suggested to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that increased transparency about genetic tests would be beneficial.

The tests included the database, voluntarily submitted by companies and non-profit labs, cover some 2,500 ailments, including cystic fibrosis, APOE (a risk factor for Alzheimer’s), and a wide range of Mendelian diseases, as well as tests for genes that may indicate how a ...

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Meet the Author

Jef Akst
Jef (an unusual nickname for Jennifer) got her master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses. After four years of diving off the Gulf Coast of Tampa and performing behavioral experiments at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, she left research to pursue a career in science writing. As The Scientist's managing editor, Jef edited features and oversaw the production of the TS Digest and quarterly print magazine. In 2022, her feature on uterus transplantation earned first place in the trade category of the Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
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