Thursday, June 10, 2010

Cellulite On Your Bod? Blame your genes! Or market 'em!


Could I go on a huge rant about 23andMes mess up and how it was discovered by a customer rather than LabCorp or 23andMe?

Yes.
Would it be useful?

No.


Why?

I need to save my rants, and any doctor will tell you, labs screw up all the time.
It is something we are used to thinking.

So much so, that a knee jerk answer for a lot of doctors is to repeat a test if the results are so far out there.......


So, my rant today will be directly placed at the rocket scientists who dreamed up CelluliteDX

"The CelluliteDX Genetic Test is only available for sale through participating physicians' offices. If you would like to learn more about the CelluliteDX Genetic Test and receive a Welcome Package to establish your office as a CelluliteDX Genetic Test provider, please contact us Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time or e-mail anytime"

Ok, this is the problem that the DTCG community has and I do too.

Doctors may be using crappy tests as a marketing ploy to drive patients through the door.
Well, some DTCG does market crappy tests to drive customers through their portal too. But this one takes the freaking cake.....today

This test which BTW is the ACE genetic variant testing has a full page called
"Science" where you can read about this brain trust.

200 patients, 200 controls, the offering......

"A physician using the CelluliteDX Genetic Test for Moderate to Severe Cellulite, can predict that a patient who tests positive has approximately a 70% chance of developing Nurnberger-Muller grade 2 (or greater) cellulite."

The science:
Is there a paper on this? Seriously? A gene for cottage cheese butt? Awesome! You've gotta love Italians and there passion for the A$$

"the multivariable-adjusted odds ratios for cellulite were 1.19 (95% CI: 1.10-1.51; P <> 1.19 huh?

How is that 70% increased risk? Would love to see that please. No, seriously, tell me how.
This is why Congress jumped. What Doctor in their right mind would offer this test?

The Sherpa Says: This is why we need education of physicians and the public here. Hullo? FDA, maybe they should get a letter too?

7 comments:

Keith Grimaldi said...

Here is where we agree 100% - I tweeted on this. I have been following this company and this particular product was just unbelievable - and the price too, $249 for the ACE indel.

Their "science" page tells us that "Up to 80% of women will experience some form of cellulite (gynoid lipodystrophy)" - the use of the scientific name gives us more confidence in their credibility doesn't it?

But the results say you either have a 70% risk or a 50% risk - something wrong somewhere. Actually a lot of things wrong everywhere...

Really not worth even ranting about it.

Wise not to do so about 23andme either - labs errors, that's a dog that bites everyone

Anonymous said...

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win" Mahatma Gandhi. The authors of the JEADV paper deserve to be congratulated for their pioneering work in molecular aesthetic medicine. Just want to say, great job guys.

Anonymous said...

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win" Mahatma Gandhi. The authors of the JEADV paper deserve to be congratulated for their pioneering work in molecular aesthetic medicine. Just want to say, great job guys.

Andrew Yates said...

I don't endorse marketing scams regardless of the underlying merit of the product sold. However, I think that cosmetic medicine is particularly interesting even though it has a bad reputation as frivolous and discreditable.

Get me a excimer laser and a tissue culture graft. I bet I could find something interesting to do.

Anonymous said...

I had to see their Web site for myself (http://www.cellulitedx.com/Science.aspx). Turned out to be interesting. They're not claiming to be a cure for cellulite.

Up to 80% of women will experience some form of cellulite (gynoid lipodystrophy). In addition, leading dermatologists believe that more than half of all women will experience moderate to severe cellulite.

What the test seems to do is provide more information for a patient and doctor:

CelluliteDX says it will help your doctor assess if you're at a high risk for developing cellulite.

Knowing that you're at an increased risk for developing moderate to severe cellulite will allow you and your doctor to develop a plan which may include therapy and/or lifestyle changes that may reduce your risk for developing moderate to severe cellulite.

Existing therapies are unlikely to reverse severe cellulite once it has occurred; however, early lifestyle changes including exercise, medication choices (i.e. hormone-based birth control and hormone replacement therapy), and therapies, such as laser therapy, may slow or stop the development of severe cellulite and improve visual aesthetics.

Steve Murphy MD said...

It's not about a cure. It is about a study of 200 people. It is also about the answer.....

Want to keep off cellulite? Stay away from Twinkies......

Thanks, that was worth the cost.

Anonymous said...

The population for the study was 400 women, not 200. Not so big doesn't mean small. BTW, the largest and most significant study to date on cellulite.