Buoyed by regulatory vacuums, Silicon Valley is building a booming online wellness market that aims to leave the doctor’s office behind.
A new world of DIY testing is changing the relationship between physicians and patients, allowing people like Sharma to bypass the doctors office and take medical tests on their own. Buoyed by a growing network of independent labs, Silicon Valley start-ups now offer tests for a battery of conditions including menopause, food sensitivity, thyroid function, testosterone levels, ADHD and sexually-transmitted diseases.
Patients said the testing industry offers a rare path to relief, but many see a dangerous Wild West of medical information. Some professional societies have cautioned against taking certain home tests. The American Gastroenterological Association says data on the health benefit of biome tests is “lacking.” The American Diabetes Association says that no off-the-shelf glucose tests for measuring signs of diabetes meet “nationally standardized criteria for accuracy.”
Narang said she understands that many who feel neglected by the medical system are driven to take matters into their own hands. But the solution often makes the problems worse, spawning a “vicious cycle” of unnecessary testing, spending and anxiety — adding to burdens on patients and caretakers.An exploding online market fueled by distrust
She is also a LetsGetChecked advertising partner. Jung estimates she has earned $20,000 from promotingJulia Cheek was motivated to found Everlywell in 2015 after accruing thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket testing costs for unexplained body aches.Her fledging start-up got exposure from an appearance on the TV show “Shark Tank” two years later, but its real boost came when Everlywell became the first company to get FDA authorization for a covid-19 self-collection kit.
“People go for years thinking they have a diagnosis when they don’t have one,” he said. “They end up eliminating certain foods and possibly developing allergies as a result.” In rare cases, he added, patients have become malnourished after radically altering their diets in response to the tests.
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