Dr. Keith Grimaldi of Sciona Speaks Out on Nutrigenomics
A couple of weeks ago, I posted about Sciona Inc, a company offering DNA testing as a way to design personalized diets. In jest, I asked if anyone from Sciona was reading and to my surprise, Dr. Keith Grimaldi, Sciona’s Director of Science - Europe, came by and left some comments.
After giving it some more thought, I realized that DNA test kits like the ones Sciona is offering are really not much different than vitamins and other health products currently on the market. None are regulated and all have the potential to be misleading. Marketing of health products to the public is increasingly aggressive and it is up to us consumers to become as knowledgeable as possible (the main reason I write the Genetics and Public Health Blog).
Dr. Grimaldi wrote in an e-mail:
One thing about what we do, we are not looking to drastically reduce severe health risks. What we are doing is nothing more than what healthy eating advice tries to do - i.e. address long term health with good general diet and lifestyle. But we add a bit of research based genetic tailoring to make the suit fit better, even if it doesn’t look much different.
Aside from obvious concerns regarding DNA tests, e.g., privacy and misuse, why do we feel uneasy? Perhaps it’s because we don’t want to face our mortality. Were we to know a little more about our genetically determined predisposition toward heart disease or cancer, we’d no longer have the excuse of ignorance to continue eating that crispy chicken skin or buttered garlic bread. But if that bit of unease pushes buyers of Sciona DNA test kits to change their lifestyles for the better, then I think the money may be well-spent.
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POSTED IN: General Genetics and Health, Nutrigenomics
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7 opinions for Dr. Keith Grimaldi of Sciona Speaks Out on Nutrigenomics
Genetics and Health » Commercially Available DNA Tests
Apr 4, 2006 at 11:45 am
[…] Sciona nutritional genomics DNA tests […]
CaptnSaj
Apr 7, 2006 at 7:33 pm
I went to a lecture by Dr. John Milner with the NIH this last week. Nutrigenomics is very important. He presented many studies that show that variations in certain genes can affect how a person reacts to drugs and other interventions (sodium reduction, fiber intake, etc..).
I think there should be a scientific review of the data by Sciona and others.
Otherwise, the $200-300 is a small price to pay for a little peace of mind.
Genetics and Health » Dermagenetics and DNA-Selected Products
Jun 28, 2006 at 2:52 pm
[…] Unlike Sciona, another company offering DNA-tailored diet advice, I was unable to find on the Dermagenetics website any information on which specific gene variants they were testing for. The most detail I could find on the DNA testing was: At the special laboratory a scientifically selected panel of SNPs is analyzed. The SNP technology is so precise that each assay measures only one unit of DNA out of 3 billion units! The Dermagenetics™ SNP panel incorporates an analysis of key skin health genes which code for enzymes that are part of our natural skin cell repair and defense mechanisms. […]
Genetics and Health » Reliability of Home DNA Tests
Jul 27, 2006 at 12:06 pm
[…] The investigation included tests from Suracell, Genelex, and Sciona. The GAO used two samples of DNA to purchase 14 tests from these three companies and found: […]
Genetics and Health » The Value of Nutrigenomic DNA Testing
Aug 1, 2006 at 2:25 pm
[…] Following up on last week’s Senate Special Committee hearings on at-home DNA tests, Time Magazine has a short article that puts nutrigenetic companies like Sciona on the defensive. Here are a few key points to remember when considering whether nutrigenomic/nutrigenetic DNA testing is worth it or not: […]
Genetics and Health » Nutritional Genetics = Nutritional Genomics = Nutrigenomics
Dec 19, 2006 at 11:04 am
[…] And, of course, Sciona–a leading DNA testing company in nutrigenomics–is mentioned at length. I’m working on getting Dr. Keith Grimaldi, Sciona’s Director of Science - Europe, to do a genetics interview for us. […]
José Torres
Oct 19, 2007 at 5:24 pm
I´m interested in courses of diets based on nutrigenomics and the DNA test kits. How do I get it ?
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