Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating biotech companies Nucleus Genomics (“Nucleus”) and Orchid Health (“Orchid”). Both firms offer embryo testing, an embryo evaluation services to customers in which they analyze and “score” the genetic profile of a human embryo. Both firms face scrutiny for allegedly overstating the reliability and accuracy of their polygenic scores, which they claim allow them to predict the presence of various traits and predisposition to diseases, among other things. These claims may mislead prospective parents about the certainty of trait predictions.
Predicting Individual Traits Using Polygenic Scoring is Uncertain and Unproven
- Nucleus Genomics markets a service called Nucleus Embryo, which claims to rank IVF embryos based on projected risks for up to 900 genetic conditions, along with traits like IQ, height, eye color, and longevity.
- Orchid Health promotes whole-genome embryo screening that includes polygenic risk scores for complex conditions such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, obesity, and more.
Critics describe the use of polygenic scores to predict traits as scientifically dubious, and experts caution that the predictive power of such scores is weak—especially for non-European ancestries—and may create false impressions of control or certainty. Polygenic risk scores reflect statistical probabilities at the population level—not definitive forecasts for individuals. Their clinical utility in embryo selection is unproven and contested, and some have accused these companies of misrepresenting the validity and accuracy of their predictions.
Parents May Be Misled by the Promises of Nucleus and Orchid
- Customers may have been misled about the predictive power of polygenic risk scores
- Customers may not be informed that embryo scoring services are unproven and unreliable, especially for predicting certain traits like IQ or height
- Parents may rely on the services to select specific embryos to bring to term even though the predictions offered by Nucleus and Orchid may have been misleading
Did You Purchase Embryo Scoring Services from Nucleus or Orchid?
If you purchased embryo scoring services from either company you may be eligible to join our ongoing class action investigation. Contact Migliaccio & Rathod LLP today to explore your legal rights.
The lawyers at Migliaccio & Rathod LLP have years of experience in class action litigation against large corporations, including in cases involving deceptive trade practices such as this. More information about our current cases and investigations is available on our blog.