23 and NZ

I knew that 23andMe was having FDA trouble in the US: the FDA restricted 23andMe from providing health advise based on its genetic tests except where the FDA approved the specific tests. As Gizmodo put it, you're getting less service for more money, but with an FDA seal of approval on those tests you can get.

I didn't know that 23andMe was self-censoring in other jurisdictions absent positive government approval. And NZ is consequently a censored regime.

Angry at @23andMe - we bought 2 new kits and they no longer show medical information, only genealogy. Avoid.

— Lance Wiggs (@lancewiggs) September 4, 2016

@lancewiggs @EricCrampton Quite unfortunate, but the approach now is one of positive clearance of the service by country, and there are many

— Alex Khomenko (@akhomenko) September 4, 2016

@EricCrampton I'm guessing it will take a review of local legal and regulatory landscape and resolution of any possible issues.

— Alex Khomenko (@akhomenko) September 4, 2016

On those, Thomas Lumley chimed in:

@EricCrampton They probably want to make claims that would constitute a "therapeutic purpose" in the sense of the Medicines Act, so Medsafe

— Thomas Lumley (@tslumley) September 4, 2016

So. Can we get our acts together in NZ so that folks here can get full-version access to 23andMe? Please?

There is a workaround in the meantime though:

@lancewiggs You can analyse the raw data for health info with patience & a little scientific literacy; look at https://t.co/5IaoDkrpl2

— Sara 🎉 (@pikelet) September 4, 2016