NEW YORK — The largest U.S. drugstore chain, Walgreen Co., will start selling genetic- testing kits at many of its stores this month, according to Pathway Genomics, which makes the kits.
Pathway said Tuesday that Walgreen will sell saliva-swab kits that are used to determine predisposition for chronic diseases and response to common drugs such as Plavix, Tamoxifen and Coumadin.
They can also be used to determine whether a person carries a gene for such diseases as Alz heimer’s, cystic fibrosis and Tay-Sachs.
The tests will be available at Walgreens stores this month, it said. The company said the testing kits will cost $20 to $30 each and will include a saliva-collection kit and a postage- paid envelope that customers can use to send their saliva sample to the Pathway laboratory.
Customers can then go to Pathway’s website and order tests.
Pathway says the tests — for drug response, “pre-pregnancy planning” and “health conditions” — start at $79 and run up to $249 for all three.
