The state of California has sent cease and desist letters to 13 companies that are selling general genetic tests for clients that are willing to pay a hefty sum of money. The companies, including start-ups 23andMe and Navigenics, will have to stop selling their service in California until they’ll prove that their activity is legal. The deadline for sending the required documents is two weeks.

The legal concerns that the state shows regard whether the companies’ labs have been approved by state and government authorities, and whether the tests were carried out at a doctor’s recommendation and not at the client’s free will.

While being allowed to read one’s own DNA seems to be the correct policy, there are certain risks attached to getting such information. One of them is that at this moment, scientific knowledge regarding the human genome is not advanced enough to allow hundred percent correct conclusions to be drawn from such generic tests. What is more, if a person finds out that he has a reduced risk of getting a certain disease, there is the possibility of that person becoming less cautious in preventing it, thus putting himself in danger.

All the 13 companies that will be checked by the state of California are marketing their products on the internet. The cost of a general DNA test, which looks at several million genetic markers cost up to $2,500.

According to the Associated Press, both Navigenics and 23andMe announced that they will send the required information, and that they are confident of being allowed to restart their activity.