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Walgreens will begin selling genetic testing kits over the counter. The kits will test saliva samples for reaction to certain medications, predisposition to disease, and whether the tester carries genes for genetic disorders.

One woman tells NECN she thinks it could be both a blessing and a curse.

"I think if you're testing for diseases that can be preventable then that's great and they can be treated in advance but other diseases like Alzheimer's you find out you're going to get it when you're 70 and you're 40 years old and you're thinking about it for 30 years then it might not be the best for you."

You can get these same types of tests and results at a doctor's office, but Walgreens' test is about 50-250 dollars cheaper than a similar doctor's visit. KFMB, the San Diego CBS affiliate says Pathway Genomics gives people another option most doctors won't.

"Say you don't want to find out about something you may be getting in the future, something that's maybe incurable like Alzheimer's. You can put in your online account that you don't want to find out about those certain things because maybe you know it's not something you want to worry about at this stage in your life."

The tests, which will hit stores later this month, are not FDA-approved. A doctor told KNXV, the ABC affiliate in Phoenix, she's leery about the new product. 

"I'm not sure that this is going to be reliable. I'm not convinced that there is any scientific evidence behind this particular test."

Others are concerned about how the results will be interpreted by the layperson.  But a spokesperson from Pathway Genomics tells NBC Nightly News the company is the future of medicine.

"People should have a right to any kind of information about their health."

As other drugstores are planning to pick up the test kits, the FDA is taking a closer look at their reliability and whether they need to be pulled from shelves.

Writer: Veronica Wells