NextGxDx Launches Comprehensive Genetic Testing Platform, Curating Information on More Than 10,000 Genetic Testing Products

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- NextGxDx, a healthcare information technology company, today announced the release of its online genetic testing platform that curates information on the more than 10,000 genetic testing products currently offered by FDA and CLIA certified labs in the U.S. According to NextGxDx's research, the database is the most comprehensive catalog of all the genetic testing products available to U.S. healthcare providers. The company also found the number of available tests is tenfold greater than previously estimated by industry experts.

The company intends to help implement strategies that further clinical integration of genetic testing. The goal of the platform is to speed the process of diagnosing, and thus treating, patients with genetic diseases. The NextGxDx platform allows healthcare providers and hospitals to easily identify the appropriate genetic tests for their patients by searching the database by symptoms or browsing by clinical specialty. The platform also allows side-by-side comparison of tests, and the company's partnerships with laboratories across the country enable physicians to order tests directly from the NextGxDx website.

"Our research shows there are nearly ten times more genetic tests available today than commonly thought, and yet there has not been a centralized, well-curated, user-friendly platform to help healthcare providers find the right test for a patient. Our platform brings together all the disparate information about available genetic tests to help physicians find and order the best test the first time," said Mark Harris, Ph.D., founder and CEO of NextGxDx. "In addition to facilitating the diagnosis process, the technology we have developed will allow us to maintain the most accurate catalog of genetic testing products available."

NextGxDx explores the factors informing and shaping the industry in "The Genetic Testing Landscape: Finding the Needle in the Haystack" a white paper released today. The paper provides a comprehensive overview of the genetic testing industry, including the size of the industry, how genetic tests are used and how genetic information is communicated. It also outlines key strategies for the future of clinical integration of genetic testing and personalized medicine.

Among the paper's key findings:

• There are many more genetic tests available to physicians than the number indicated by previous industry estimates,
• The mechanisms used to communicate genetic testing results are slow, inefficient and outdated,
• A large percentage of all clinically testable gene targets (22%) have only one product on the market,
• There is a sizable percentage of clinical tests for genetic conditions that do not directly examine changes in DNA.

"This report is designed to establish a robust analysis of genetic testing as it relates to the products currently available for clinical use," said Jud Schneider, Ph.D., scientific director of NextGxDx and author of the white paper. "As personalized medicine becomes a clinical reality, we think it's important for physicians to understand the scope and trajectory of the genetic testing industry and how it may impact their practices in the years ahead."

The white paper is currently available for free download on the NextGxDx website, www.NextGxDx.com.

About NextGxDx

NextGxDx is a healthcare information technology company that provides a web-based genetic diagnostics platform allowing hospitals and physicians to quickly and efficiently identify appropriate genetic tests and cross-reference multiple test providers. With the ability to research tests based on patient symptoms, instantly compare tests across laboratories, and determine existing institutional relationships, NextGxDx provides physicians with a single destination for discovering, comparing and ordering genetic tests. For more information, visit www.NextGxDx.com.

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SOURCE NextGxDx