Dear Visitor

We are a group of citizens, healthcare providers, scientists, public policy makers, legislators, scientists, and health care consumers who are concerned about direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising for genetic testing. As more genetic tests become available, it is critical that DTC advertising is subject to federal oversight (as is advertising for medications) to ensure that these ads are not misleading, inaccurate, using scare tactics, or encouraging patients to contact the very company that is profiting from each test sale. Please see the bullet points below with references for more information on DTC advertising.
 

You Can Help!

Stop this advertising until such oversight is in place!
Please:

  • Sign this on-line petition;
  • Pass it on to your friends and family;
  • Pass it on to colleagues in health care, science, public policy and public health;
  • Research which legislators in your state are interested in Consumer Protection and contact them by phone, e-mail, and fax to let them know that you want federal oversight of all DTC advertising for genetic testing before it comes to your area. (Click here to email this petition to others)
 
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Breaking News!

On September 11, 2007 two separate stories were published in the Wall Street Journal and the NY Times highlighting the critical debate over Direct to Consumer ad campaigns for genetic testing and in particular, the Myriad Genetics Ad Campaign for BRCA I and II gene testing.

New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts are targets for the Direct to Consumer Advertising Campaign.

View the Wall Street Journal Article
"Ad Campaign Fuels Debate on Breast-Cancer Gene Test"

View the NY Times Article
"A Genetic Test That Very Few Need, Marketed to the Masses"

Arguement for Deceptive Claim

This document was prepared to argue for the deceptive features of the Myriad Direct to Consumer Advertising Campaign for BRCA testing.

Deceptive Claims

Yale Cancer Center's Cancer Answers on NPR

Please tune in to a special edition of Yale Cancer Center's Cancer Answers to hear Ellen Matloff, MS and CT Attorney General Richard Blumenthal discuss the controversial Myriad advertisement campaign that is now running in CT, MA and NY.  This program originally aired on NPR September 16, 2007 and can now be found here: 

 
For more information on this campaign, please visit yalecancercenter.org. Or take 90 seconds of your time to help by signing the on-line petition below.
 
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