The DTC microbiome testing industry needs more regulation

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38484067/ From the article: "A growing body of research has suggested the potential for improving human health by better understanding the human microbiome. This research has led to the emergence of a global industry selling direct-to-consumer (DTC) microbiome testing services. Regulation of this industry has been generally ignored despite its having made a mark on the lifestyle health and wellness market. Yet companies’ claims of having the ability to detect “abnormal” microbiomes are not substantiated by research; the testing processes lack analytical validity, and the results have no demonstrated clinical validity. "