Regulating molecular diagnostic assays: developing a new regulatory structure for a new technology.

Molecular diagnostics are playing an increasingly important part in the practice of medicine. However, molecular diagnostics have not yet made the clinical impact that many had predicted. Multiple factors affect the uptake and utilization of molecular diagnostics, including government regulation. Current regulatory systems were not developed to optimize regulation of molecular diagnostics. This article recommends areas that should be carefully evaluated and appropriately revised, including risk assessment, review criteria and facilitating product improvements. The adoption of molecular diagnostics will be advanced as regulatory criteria become more predictable and their application becomes more consistent between products and over time.