Anneke’s talk explores what happens when direct‑to‑consumer test results move from commercial platforms into real clinical encounters, focusing on how context, equity and data provenance shape what a ‘number’ means for a particular patient and service. Drawing on her roles as clinician, researcher and ethicist, Anneke considers how tools trained on health‑engaged early adopters may not translate well to all populations, and how techno‑optimistic discourses can obscure uncertainty, overdiagnosis and opportunity costs for the NHS. Can we find a realistic, responsible and fair way to integrate DTC tests within a publicly funded health system? Professor Anneke Lucassen was appointed Director of the CPM in August 2021. Anneke trained in Medicine and specialised in Clinical Genetics. After a DPhil identifying genetic factors in diabetes, she set up an interdisciplinary research programme exploring the ethical, legal and social aspects of integrating advances in genetics (and other forms of big data) into healthcare and society. She is consultant in the Oxford Clinical Genetics Service. Anneke established and remains on the Steering Committee for the Genethics Forum, a national initiative for health professionals and colleagues from the social sciences, law, and the humanities who work with – or are interested in – the practical ethical and legal issues that arise in day-to-day clinical and research practice in genetics and genomics. This talk was recorded at our event ‘Direct-to-Consumer Medical Testing: Exploring Opportunities & Challenges’ which took place at St Anne’s College, University of Oxford on Tuesday 5th May 2026.

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