Innovation stop: “All they’ve done is created an extra billing event for the doctor”

It’s my first real encounter with a situation in which the officials of the state of California are clearly against innovation for financial reasons obvious enough (is enough):

Wired Science, Alexis Madrigal, upcoming BioBarCamper:

Exclusive: DNA Tester Reveals Cease-and-Desist Letter

Wired.com has obtained a copy of the cease-and-desist letter sent to Navigenics by the state of California’s Public Health Department from a company spokesperson.

The letter’s strongest wording is reserved for another section of the law, Business and Professions Code Section 1288, which requires a doctor’s note for all laboratory tests, unless, like pregnancy tests, they are exempt from that law.

“Genetic tests are NOT exempt,” the letter reads. “As such, the test must be ordered by a physician or surgeon.”

Kristine Ashcraft, director of operations for another genetic testing company, Genelex, which was not sent a cease-and-desist letter, criticized New York’s policy and the application of that framework to genetic testing in California.

“All they’ve done is created an extra billing event for the doctor,” Ashcraft said.