Experts Call For More Regulation Of At Home Microbiome Test Kits

Forbes March 15, 2024
Victoria Forster

A group of experts have called for more regulation of direct-to-consumer microbiome testing services after concluding a several-year investigation. Microbiomes are diverse mixtures of microorganisms that naturally reside inside, or on parts of the body, such as the gut, skin and vagina and differ substantially between individuals.

Microbiomes have been a hot area of scientific research in the last decade, with researchers most commonly looking at the gut microbiome and it’s influence on everything from mental health to gut function and even influence response to cancer therapies. Most of the at-home tests focus on the gut or vaginal microbiome, with consumers collecting a stool, or vaginal fluid sample and sending the sample for analysis.

Some companies are marketing at-home test...

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