Here's a Shocker: Accuracy of Genetic Tests Called Into Question

Given the explosion of DNA testing news lately, it's no surprise to see an article about the downside of genetic tests. This piece from the New York Times chronicles the work of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., who has helped bring genetic testing into the vernacular but has also become a strong critic of the field after tests of his own DNA gave conflicting results.

John Hawks took the opportunity to remind readers that he has for years issued warnings about the reliability of genetic test results. It's not just flawed science, either -- "It's also a case where there are a lot of vested interests in being able to give people the results they want to hear," he writes.

Despite (or perhaps because of) these problems, Gates is starting his own company in the space; it will focus on DNA testing for African Americans, and you can read more about it at Blaine Bettinger's blog.