Geninus Obtains Official Certification as DTC Genetic Testing Institution from Ministry of Health and Welfare

Geninus, a genome analysis specialist company (CEO Park Woong-yang), announced on the 4th that it has officially obtained certification as a genetic testing institution under the ‘Direct to Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Competency Certification System’ (hereinafter ‘DTC Certification System’) implemented by the Ministry of Health and Welfare starting this year.

DTC genetic testing refers to genetic tests that consumers can request directly from genetic testing institutions without visiting medical institutions. Through this, consumers can easily undergo genetic testing and manage their health according to their genetic characteristics.

In Korea, DTC genetic testing is available mainly for wellness items related to disease prevention and health management, such as nutrition, skin and hair, lifestyle habits, and personal traits, through genetic testing institutions that have received prior approval for test items.

The DTC Certification System is a program implemented under the supervision of the Ministry of Health and Welfare to ensure safe genetic testing. After a three-year pilot project, it has been officially implemented since the end of 2022.

Geninus underwent the DTC Certification System evaluation in the first half of 2023 and was officially certified as a DTC genetic testing institution after being assessed on various criteria including test accuracy, delivery of test results, and personal information protection. The certification is valid for three years, and certified institutions can safely provide DTC genetic testing services for the certified items.

A company representative stated, "We are currently pursuing business partnerships with numerous healthcare solution companies. Full-scale orders are expected from the second half of this year, and we are expanding our testing infrastructure in preparation. Through this DTC certification, we will showcase differentiated content and business models based on verified testing capabilities," emphasizing their plans.

Going forward, Geninus plans to continuously and aggressively expand new test items through additional conformity assessments.

Park Woong-yang, CEO of Geninus, said, “As an officially certified genetic testing institution, Geninus will take the lead in the proper use of genomic data and introduce various businesses that can enhance the value of data utilization. We will continue to provide various forms of solutions that analyze ‘the genes within us’ to enable optimal health management according to individual genomic characteristics.”

Meanwhile, Geninus signed a business agreement with Kakao Healthcare in 2022 for DTC genetic testing services. Earlier this year, the company established a DTC business team within its genome business division to build a market position in the DTC field.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.