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Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups

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Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups

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Debut of ixlayer on Inc. 5000 List of Fastest Growing Businesses for 2023 Indicates a Dynamic Clinical Laboratory Test ‘Middleman’ Sector

Growth of the middleman company is a sign of increased credibility and acceptance among its client organizations

There’s a new category of player in the clinical laboratory testing industry. It is the “middleman” company. One high-profile example of a middleman company in diagnostics is the company ixlayer of San Francisco, which has a novel plan for growth.

The software developer provides cloud-based diagnostic testing platforms to retailers, health plans, and biopharma companies. Medical laboratory tests are not processed by ixlayer, however, but are instead sent to independent CLIA-certified clinical labs for completion and results reporting.

Thus, ixlayer acts as a third-party “middleman” in the lab testing chain.

Ixlayer recently debuted as number 1,418 on the 2023 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in the US, according to a company news release. Might this signal a dynamic and expanding clinical laboratory middleman sector?

There are a number of other established middleman companies doing this on the web as well, including:

Produced by Inc. Business Media, the Inc. 5000 list is based on data analysis of the fastest growing private businesses in the US. Ixlayer reportedly grew its 2023 revenue 100% year-over-year. 

Pouria Sanae

“To be selected for the Inc. 5000 list is an honor that validates the value we deliver while enabling greater access to care for all,” said Pouria Sanae (above), co-founder and CEO of ixlayer. “We’ve developed a platform that powers millions of diagnostic tests each year and serves as the backbone of thousands of health testing programs for trusted health brands, healthcare delivery organizations, payers, and life sciences companies. I’m excited about the future as we redefine and simplify the diagnostic laboratory testing ecosystem.” (Photo copyright: ixlayer.)

Ixlayer Works with Retailers, Insurers, Biopharma, and Clinical Labs

Ixlayer “facilitates” tests by working with industry partners and clinical laboratories, Managed Healthcare Executive explained.

One such relationship is with retailer CVS, Fierce Healthcare reported. Ixlayer provides the cloud-based diagnostics platform, at-home sample collection kits, and coordination of testing services for some of the pharmacy company’s at-home testing products. They include:

“With nearly 70% of medical decisions dependent on lab testing, regular diagnostic testing is a cornerstone of improving health and wellness,” Pouria Sanae, co-founder and CEO of ixlayer, told Drug Store News. “At-home testing enables people to proactively take control of their health, on their own schedule, in the privacy of their own home and on a regular basis. Our mission of creating a healthier world through more accessible, affordable, and easy health testing requires systemic changes and buy-in from key stakeholders and partners.”

Ixlayer directs specimens to independent labs that perform the tests and report results to consumers via an online portal.

“Founded in 2018, ixlayer initially focused on remote lab testing for Alzheimer’s disease patients. The company now offers thousands of white-labeled, at-home, and onsite health tests ranging from women’s wellness to sexually transmitted diseases and chronic condition management,” the news release notes.

“We’re thinking of it more from the perspective of: How do we infiltrate this infrastructure into our whole healthcare ecosystem? How do we let traditional providers run their programs the way they want to?” Alecia Pritchett, ixlayer Chief Growth Officer, told Managed Healthcare Executive.

Ixlayer “is not a lab,” Managed Healthcare Executive explained. “It describes itself as a platform. Instead of performing its own lab tests, it connects providers and retailers to accredited laboratory partners. Instead of sending out its own team of phlebotomists to collect blood samples, the company coordinates with mobile phlebotomy firms.”

“This comprehensive data visualization solution provides a more insightful analysis of testing performance data, empowering health plans, retailers, and biopharma organizations to monitor and manage progress in real-time effectively. With this actionable intelligence, decision-makers can focus on addressing gaps in care, accelerating access to critical drug studies, and promoting greater health equity to improve clinical and quality outcomes and economics across the healthcare ecosystem,” said David Yu, Chief Product Officer at ixlayer, in a news release.

Any Lab Test Now Also Makes Inc.’s 5000 List

Also making the 2023 Inc. 5000 list is Any Lab Test Now, an Alpharetta, Ga.-headquartered laboratory franchise that was founded in 2007. Any Lab Test Now is another form of middleman company which bills itself as the nation’s first direct access lab testing service with 200 locations. This is Any Lab Test Now’s second consecutive year on the list, according to a news release.

Unlike ixlayer, Any Lab Test Now’s business model features independently owned and operated locations around the US. Customers go online to choose a testing location, pay for tests, and schedule an appointment. Tests include:

At-Home Testing Market Growing

Allied Market Research reported that the global at-home testing market is expected to grow by about 10.5% annually from 2022 to 2031, when it will reach $45.5 billion.

Another middleman company offering at-home tests is Everlywell of Austin, Texas. Other middleman companies that enable consumers to order tests online and then visit a local clinical laboratory for specimen collection include Testing.com and Walk-In-Lab.com.

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for at-home sample collection testing has grown steadily. Dark Daily has covered this in numerous ebriefs. That middleman companies are showing up on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies indicates that the middleman sector of the clinical laboratory testing industry is growing as well.

—Donna Marie Pocius

Related Information:

ixlayer Joins the Inc. 5000 List of Fastest Growing Companies in America

2023 Inc. 5000 List Company Profile: ixlayer

Health Tech Startup ixlayer Partners with CVS on Home Health Tests

ixlayer Enhances At-Home Diagnostic Health Testing Platform with Cutting-Edge AI and Data Visualization

Any Lab Test Now Lands on Prestigious Inc. 5000 for Second Consecutive Year

What’s Next for At-home Diagnostic Testing: Four Trends to Watch in 2024

Allied Market Research: Home Testing Market

Efforts to Allow FDA Oversight of Clinical Laboratory-Developed Tests Continue in New Congress

The VALID Act has been refiled and the FDA has declared its intent to issue a proposed rule to enable it to oversee LDTs

Should the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have the authority to regulate laboratory-developed tests (LDT)? Advocates in favor of this outcome are working to make FDA oversight of LDTs a reality.

On March 29, HR.2369—the Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT Development Act of 2023 (VALID Act)—was refiled in the US House of Representatives by Representatives Larry Bucshon, MD, (R-IN) and Diana DeGette (D-CO). The 273-page proposal would move LDT oversight to the FDA.

Prior to that, however, the FDA had already announced its intention to issue a proposed rule giving the agency regulatory oversight of LDTs.

“The FDA has continually supported the passage of the VALID Act by Congress,” attorney Charles Dunham IV, a Shareholder at Greenberg Traurig LLP in Houston, told Dark Daily. “In fact, there is speculation that the VALID Act will be attached to the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act as it moves through Congress.”

Dunham is moderating a legal panel at next week’s 2023 Executive War College on Diagnostics, Clinical Laboratory, and Pathology Management, which takes place April 28-26 in New Orleans. The VALID Act and other lab-related legal topics will be discussed by attorneys on the panel.

Charles Dunham IV

“The FDA may not actually proceed with promulgating rules to regulate LDTs if it is concerned it will not be successful in court if the rules are challenged, which would happen,” said attorney Charles Dunham IV (above), a Shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, LLP. Clinical laboratory leaders can learn more from Dunham during a panel discussion at next week’s 2023 Executive War College on Diagnostics, Clinical Laboratory, and Pathology Management in New Orleans. (Photo copyright: Greenberg Traurig LLP.)

Arguments For and Against FDA LDT Regulation of LDTs

Supporters of the VALID Act contend that putting LDTs under FDA regulation will lead to improved patient safety and less review for low-risk tests. Their argument is that LDTs should undergo the same FDA review and approval process as other medical devices.

Hospital laboratory managers and pathologists—particularly in academic medical center laboratories—have largely opposed FDA regulation of LDTs. They prefer to keep the current setup under which lab-developed tests are validated under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA). They argue that FDA intervention will slow down development of new tests.

In fact, it was academic medical center pathologists who led the fight against the VALID Act in the last session of Congress, as Dark Daily reported in “Congress Holds Off on Enabling FDA Regulation of Clinical Laboratory-Developed Tests.” Lawmakers eventually chose not to include the VALID Act in the 2022 year-end spending bill.

In response, an FDA official indicated during the American Clinical Laboratory Association’s (ACLA) annual meeting on March 1 that the federal agency plans to issue a proposed rule to regulate LDTs, BioWorld reported. That rulemaking has not yet emerged. It’s possible the FDA will wait and see what happens in Congress with the VALID Act.

Attorney David Gee, JD, a partner at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP in Seattle, told Dark Daily that a US Supreme Court decision last year concerning the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) casts doubt on the FDA’s ability to regulate LDTs.

“Some legal experts have suggested that one significant new legal challenge FDA may face is the Supreme Court’s West Virginia v. EPA decision last summer that limited the ability of the EPA to cap power plant emissions by regulation due to the EPA’s lack of explicit congressional authority to do so,” said Gee, who also will appear on the Executive War College legal panel next week.

“The West Virginia v. EPA ruling provides support for those in the clinical lab industry who point to the FDA’s lack of clear statutory authority to regulate LDTs and therefore fundamentally disagree with FDA’s longstanding position that LDTs are medical devices subject to FDA’s authority to regulate,” he added.

Actions Clinical Laboratory Managers Can Take

Clinical laboratory managers who want to share their thoughts about the future of LDT regulation may want to take one or both of the following actions:

  • Contact their representatives in Congress.
  • Find out whether any trade associations they belong to have taken a position on the VALID Act.

Clinical laboratory professionals should monitor the VALID Act’s progress while also paying attention to industry groups and manufacturers that support or oppose the bill.

Doing so will provide a clearer indication of who has the most to gain or lose should the legislation be passed. Pathologists and medical laboratory managers should also remain alert for further efforts by the FDA to issue proposed rulemaking to regulate LDTs. 

Scott Wallask

Related Information:

H.R. 2369 Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT Development Act of 2023

2023 Executive War College on Diagnostics, Clinical Laboratory, and Pathology Management

Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988

Congress Holds Off on Enabling FDA Regulation of Clinical Laboratory-Developed Tests

Hillebrenner Says FDA No Longer Waiting on Congress for LDT Regulation

West Virginia v. EPA Decision

Looming Government Shutdown Opens Door for Congress to Possibly Pass Clinical Laboratory Bills

Theranos Whistleblower Tyler Shultz Publicly Denounces LDT ‘Loophole’ that the Disgraced Blood-testing Company Exploited

Looming Government Shutdown Opens Door for Congress to Possibly Pass Clinical Laboratory Bills

Two former FDA commissioners who support changing oversight of laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) say FDA’s regulatory playbook is ‘outdated’

Congress’ attempts to avoid a government shutdown due to a lack of funding presents a final chance this year for two different clinical laboratory bills to be pushed through.

The Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT Development (VALID) Act and Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act (SALSA) could be added to a year-end spending package that will fund government operations. Without the spending bill, the government will shut down on Dec. 16 and not re-open until funding is appropriated.

The VALID Act proposes to move oversight of laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). SALSA seeks to reduce lab test reimbursement cuts scheduled for Jan. 1 under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA).

As Dark Daily’s sister publication The Dark Report, noted in “VALID and SALSA Acts Still Pending in Congress,” a standalone vote on either bill is unlikely this year. Instead, they would need to be attached to the larger spending bill. (If you’re not a subscriber to The Dark Report, check out our free trial.)

Scott Gottlieb, MD and Mark McClellan, MD

In an article for STAT, former FDA Commissioners Scott Gottlieb, MD (left), and Mark McClellan, MD, PhD (right), wrote, “The FDA is currently working from an outdated regulatory playbook that has left gaps in its oversight of safety and effectiveness and makes it more difficult to introduce new innovations. The [VALID Act] would strengthen protections for consumers and patients for both diagnostic tests and cosmetics and make it easier for manufacturers to introduce better products.” (Photo copyrights: FDA/American Well.)

Political Parties Negotiating

At press time, a draft spending bill had not yet been introduced to Congress as lawmakers from both political parties negotiate funding levels.

A source told The Dark Report that until legislators hammer out those details, add-ons such as the VALID Act or SALSA are stalled. There is no guarantee either lab measure will be added to the spending bill.

“We don’t have agreements to do virtually anything,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to reporters on Dec. 6, according to Reuters. “We don’t even have an overall agreement on how much we want to spend,” he added. Reuters reported that Democrats and Republicans in the Senate were $25 billion apart in their proposals.

Congress could also pass a continuing resolution to keep the government open for a short time, which would allow lawmakers more opportunity to negotiate.

Former FDA Chiefs Weigh In

Meanwhile, proponents of the VALID Act have publicly turned the heat up for the bill. For example, STAT recently ran two commentaries—including a joint piece from a pair of former FDA commissioners—in support of the VALID Act.

Currently, LDTs are regulated through the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA). However, supporters of the VALID Act argue that the complexity of modern LDTs deserves more scrutiny.

“The VALID Act would create a consistent standard for all tests, regardless of the kind of facility they were developed in or made in, as well as a modern regulatory framework that’s uniquely designed for the recent and emerging technologies being used to develop tests,” wrote Scott Gottlieb, MD, and Mark McClellan, MD, PhD, in STAT on Dec. 5.

Gottlieb and McClellan served as FDA commissioners from 2017-2019 and 2002-2004 respectively. They both currently serve on various boards for biotech and healthcare companies.

Pathologists, Clinical Lab Directors Express Concerns about VALID Act

Opponents of the VALID Act contend that LDT innovation will be stifled if clinical laboratories, particularly those at academic medical centers, need to spend the time and money to go through formal FDA approval. There is evidence that working pathologists in academic settings have legitimate concerns about the negative consequences that might result if the VALID Act was passed as currently written.

In “Might Valid Act Support Be Waning in Congress?The Dark Report covered how on June 1 more than 290 pathologists and clinical laboratory directors sent a grassroots letter to a Senate committee asking for a series of concessions to be made for academic medical center labs under the VALID Act.

It is reasonable to assert that the majority of clinical laboratory professionals and pathologists are supportive of the SALSA bill, which would stop the next round of scheduled price cuts—as much as a 15% price reduction to many tests—to the Medicare Part B Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS). That is not true of support for the VALID Act, as currently written. Sizeable segments of the diagnostics industry have taken opposing positions regarding passage of that legislation.

For these reasons, both bills will be closely watched in coming weeks as Congress works to fund the federal government while, at the same time, incorporating a variety of other bills under the omnibus bill, which is a considered a “must pass” by many senators and representatives.

Scott Wallask

Related Information:

H.R.4128 – VALID Act of 2021

S.4449 – Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act

Congress Needs to Update FDA’s Ability to Regulate Diagnostic Tests, Cosmetics

US Congress Could Punt Funding Bill into 2023, McConnell Says

VALID and SALSA Acts Still Pending in Congress

Might Valid Act Support Be Waning in Congress?

Four Regulatory Developments Coming This Fall That Are Relevant for Clinical Laboratory Leaders and Pathology Group Managers

Regulators and lawmakers are considering proposed changes to CLIA and PAMA involving medical laboratory services

Clinical laboratories and pathology groups should monitor a series of federal regulatory developments underway this fall. The proposals and documents will potentially affect how lab managers and staff do their jobs and how much Medicare reimbursement medical laboratories receive for certain diagnostic tests next year.

Among the initiatives under consideration are the following:

Below are details about these laboratory-related federal bills and regulatory documents that observant laboratory managers will want to track in the coming months.

“Clinical laboratories need to make sure that they have proper requisitions and documentation for genetic testing that involves telemedicine.” Danielle Tangorre, JD (above), a partner at law firm Robinson and Cole LLP in Albany, NY, told Dark Daily. (Photo copyright: Robinson and Cole LLP.)

CLIA Fee Increases and Testing Personnel Changes

The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is examining fee and personnel changes for CLIA. Officials from CMS are reviewing public comments on the proposal ahead of publishing a final rule.

Among other changes, the proposal would:

  • Institute a 20% across-the-board increase on existing fees.
  • Establish a biennial increase of CLIA fees for follow-up surveys, substantiated complaint surveys, and revised certificates.
  • Add doctoral, master’s, and bachelor’s degrees in nursing to qualify testing personnel for high and moderate complexity testing.

As The Dark Report noted in “Clinical Laboratories Face 20% Increase in CLIA Fees,” opposition to the new nurse qualifications is coming from the American Hospital Association (AHA) and other groups. (If you are not a subscriber to The Dark Report, you can start a free trial by clicking here.)

Seven Characteristics of Potential Telemedicine Fraud That Affect Clinical Laboratories

In July, on the heels of federal prosecutors indicting 13 defendants for alleged genetic testing and telemedicine fraud, the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a warning about telemedicine fraud.

The Special Fraud Alert, “OIG Alerts Practitioners to Exercise Caution When Entering into Arrangements with Purported Telemedicine Companies,” outlines seven “suspect characteristics” of telemedicine that might point to fraudulent Medicare billing.

The characteristics include:

  • “The Practitioner does not have sufficient contact with or information from the purported patient to meaningfully assess the medical necessity of the items or services ordered or prescribed.
  • “The Telemedicine Company compensates the Practitioner based on the volume of items or services ordered or prescribed, which may be characterized to the Practitioner as compensation based on the number of purported medical records that the Practitioner reviewed.
  • “The Telemedicine Company only furnishes items and services to Federal health care program beneficiaries and does not accept insurance from any other payor.
  • “The Telemedicine Company does not expect Practitioners (or another Practitioner) to follow up with purported patients nor does it provide Practitioners with the information required to follow up with purported patients (e.g., the Telemedicine Company does not require Practitioners to discuss genetic testing results with each purported patient).”
  • And more.

“In the telehealth space, the issue the OIG has flagged is that genetic tests are being ordered without patient interaction or with only brief telephonic conversations,” Danielle Tangorre, JD, a partner at law firm Robinson & Cole LLP in Albany, N.Y., told Dark Daily.

New Bill May Eliminate 2023 Medical Laboratory Payment Cuts Under PAMA

Medical labs and pathology groups face payment cuts of up to 15% for 800 lab tests on the Medicare Clinical Lab Fee Schedule (CLFS) on Jan. 1, 2023, as part of PAMA.

However, a bipartisan bill is before Congress that may change things. The Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act (SALSA) seeks to accomplish three things:

  • Eliminate the scheduled Jan. 1 price cuts.
  • Reduce future payment decreases to the Medicare CLFS under PAMA.
  • Reconfigure how CMS calculates lab test payments for the CLFS.

At last check, the bill was before the Senate Finance Committee. Proponents are hopeful a vote will come before PAMA’s Jan. 1 cuts occur.

The Dark Report explored the SALSA Act in detail in “PAMA Cuts Might Be Reduced to Zero for 2023.”

Changes to LDT Oversight in VALID Act Sidelined for Now

In “Proposed FDA Approval of Laboratory Developed Tests Will Reduce Innovation,” Dark Daily reported on the Verifying Accurate Leading-Edge IVCT Development Act (VALID Act) and why its opponents believe it stifles diagnostic innovation.

The bill proposes to move regulatory oversight of LDTs from CLIA to the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Champions of the bill argue that FDA regulation is needed for in vitro clinical tests (IVCTs) because they are similar to medical devices and bring with them patient safety concerns.

The bill seemed ready for a Senate vote over the summer but stalled. On Sept. 30, Congress passed a short-term resolution to keep the federal government funded. During negotiation, the VALID Act was removed from the larger spending package, according to Boston law firm Ropes and Gray.

Expect discussion to renew in Congress about the VALID Act after the mid-term elections.

Clinical laboratory leaders and pathology group managers will want to closely monitor the progress of these four federal legislative and regulatory developments. Each of the possible actions described above would significantly change the status quo in the compliance requirements and reimbursement arrangements for both clinical laboratory testing and anatomic pathology services.

Scott Wallask

Related Information:

Clinical Laboratories Face 20% Increase in CLIA Fees

OIG Alerts Practitioners to Exercise Caution when Entering into Arrangements with Purported Telemedicine Companies

PAMA Cuts Might Be Reduced to Zero for 2023

Proposed FDA Approval of Laboratory Developed Tests Will Reduce Innovation

Congress Enacts Clean Reauthorization of FDA User Fees, Leaving Uncertain Future for Important Policy Reforms

Federal Regulators Issue Notice to DTC Test Company Orig3n That Its Purchase of Interleukin Genetics Could Involve CLIA Compliance Issues

CMS sends letter to Orig3n notifying the genetic test company that it may not have the required certifications to market its genetic tests

Orig3n’s recent ill-fated “DNA Day” promotion to offer free genetic tests during an NFL football game this past fall pushed Orig3n into the media spotlight. The Massachusetts-based biotech company—which sells 18 different DNA tests on its website—suspended the promotion due to questions from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) regarding the legality of the testing under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA).

Since then, however, new details from BuzzFeed and GenomeWeb indicate that Orig3n may not have the required certifications to market their genetic tests after all. On October 30, 2017, CMS served Orig3n with an out-of-compliance notice. According to BuzzFeed, the letter came from Karen Dyer, MT (ASCP) DLM, Director, Division of Laboratory Services and the CLIA program at CMS.

In a letter to Kate Blanchard, Chief Operating Officer at Orig3n, Dyer wrote, “To apply for CLIA certification, Orig3n must contact both the Massachusetts and California state agencies immediately for guidance. Orig3n’s various tests analyze 18 genes related to health, from ‘muscle power’ to ‘sugar sensitivity’ to ‘age-related metabolism’. It offers genetic testing that provides information for the assessment of health.” The letter gave Orig3n a November 13 deadline to update CMS on issues regarding their CLIA certification.

Robin Smith, CEO, Orig3n, told GenomeWeb the notice “was the first time that any clear guidance was given regarding specific genes and requirements for CLIA/non-CLIA.” He also noted efforts Orig3n undertook over the prior year to fully certify their laboratory.

The test shown above is one of 18 genetic tests Orig3n offers direct to consumers. According to Vice, Orig3n claims their tests do not require FDA-approval “because the tests are not diagnostic [and] they don’t require it.” The Baltimore Sun reported that “Orig3n is confident it can receive the proper approvals and plans to have a fan giveaway later this season at one of our games.” (Photo copyright: Orig3n.)

A Quick Resolution for Orig3n’s CLIA Woes?

Fortunately for Orig3n, meeting compliance and obtaining certification for their existing lab is no longer a requirement to resolve the issue. In a November press release, Orig3n announced the purchase of Interleukin Genetics. Orig3n plans to absorb Interleukin’s existing assets, including a CLIA-certified genetics laboratory in Waltham, Mass., capable of analyzing more than one million samples annually.

“Once we met with Interleukin Genetics, we saw a natural alignment between the two organizations regarding our shared commitment to a future of personalized health,” Smith noted. “With our trajectory of accelerated growth, we couldn’t imagine a better fit for acquisition. We are very pleased to be welcoming Interleukin Genetics to Orig3n.”

GenomeWeb asked Blanchard how the acquisition would impact Orig3n’s commercialization of the 18 tests in question by CMS, now that Orig3n owns a CLIA-certified lab, and through it, meets the requirements of CMS’ out-of-compliance notice. Blanchard declined to comment.

New Concerns Surrounding Interleukin Assets

Yet, in solving one set of problems, some experts believe Orig3n might have inherited a new set. In July 2016, GenomeWeb reported that Interleukin Genetics would be laying off 63% of its staff. Unable to secure a clinical services agreement, the company could not extend debt payment deferrals with its senior lenders. At the time of writing, debts totaled $5.6 million.

Further complicating matters, a 2015 peer-reviewed analysis published in the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) questioned the clinical validity of an inflammation management program called “Ilustra” that Interleukin claimed, “identifies individuals with an increased risk for severe and progressive periodontitis, due to a life-long genetic predisposition to over-produce Interleukin-1 (IL-1), a key mediator of inflammation.”

Another GenomeWeb article reported on the turbulent road the Ilustra program followed until Orig3n eventually pulled it from the market. GenomeWeb noted critics’ concerns about the marketing of precision medicine, genetic testing, and regulatory issues facing medical laboratories as these technologies mature.

Clinical Laboratories Continue to Field Concerns Over DTC Testing

“This [genetic] test would have been laughed out of the room if it had been presented to oncologists, or to professionals in medical genetics,” declared Scott Diehl, PhD, co-author of the JAMA analysis, a genetics researcher at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, and Professor and Principal Investigator at Rutgers Biomedical Health Sciences.

GenomeWeb notes in their latest coverage that with Orig3n’s purchase of Interleukin Genetics, Diehl is once again concerned that the genetic tests in question might find their way back to the market.

When GenomeWeb questioned Orig3n about the concerns surrounding Interleukin’s Ilustra product, a spokesperson stated, “that was simply before Orig3n’s time with the company and they do not have a part in it.” Blanchard added, “[We are] looking at the entire Interleukin portfolio and implementing the tests if and when we decide it is appropriate.”

Regardless of the decisions made by Orig3n on future genetic tests and genetic service offerings, coverage of this event highlights a myriad of concerns—from regulatory scrutiny to the pitfalls of acquiring existing diagnostic tests or laboratory assets—facing clinical laboratories, anatomic pathologists, and other medical professionals working in the ever-shifting landscape of the modern healthcare system.

—Jon Stone

Related Information:

This DNA Testing Company Is Violating Federal Lab Testing Rule

Orig3n Acquires Interleukin Genetics, a Genetics-based Personalized Health Company, to Advance the Future of Health Faster

Orig3n’s Purchase of Interleukin’s CLIA Lab May Appease CMS, But Some Question Plans for Test Assets

Biotech Company Offers Fitness and Beauty-Focused Genetic Tests

Interleukin Genetics Slashes 63 Percent of Workforce, Shuts down Program and Mulls Sale

‘DNA Day’ Planned for Ravens Game Undergoes Federal and State Scrutiny

Interleukin Shutting Down Genetic Testing Program, Lays Off Staff

Divergent Findings on Interleukin Gum Disease Risk Test Raise Questions about Clinical Use

Interleukin 1 Genetic Tests Provide No Support for Reduction of Preventive Dental Care

Controversial Gum Disease Risk Test Highlights Precision Medicine Marketing, Regulatory Issues

State and Federal Agencies Throw Yellow Flag Delaying Free Genetic Tests at NFL Games in Baltimore—Are Clinical Laboratories on Notice about Free Testing?

 

 

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