Category: genetics
The Public Health Approach to Genetic Testing in the 21st Century: Saving Lives and Saving Unnecessary Healthcare Costs
In March 2012, a prominent health insurer in the United States released a white paper entitled: “Personalized Medicine: trends and prospects for the new science of genetic testing and molecular diagnostics” By analyzing their own claims data, the report suggests that in 2010, the cost of genetic and molecular diagnostic testing for its members was about $500 Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsCan Sudden Cardiac Death of the Young be Prevented?
A Michigan Story on Lessons Learned and Action Steps to Take The winter months have arrived and with them comes a certain madness, specifically March Madness. On March 12, 2012 the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament will commence. Most of the focus will be on cheering for the teams we picked to win our brackets; Read More >
Posted on by 5 CommentsEmerging Evidence for the Benefits of Systematic Collection of Family History in Primary Care
When it comes to the use of genomic tests and technologies in practice, Dr Al Berg is a skeptic. Dr Berg is the founding chair of the CDC-sponsored Evaluation of Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention (EGAPP) Working Group that has been evaluating genomic tests for more than 5 years. He also chaired the National Institutes Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsNo Genome is an Island
There was no cholera in Haiti until October 2010, when epidemic cholera swept the country. Within 6 months, more than 250,000 people were sickened and 4,000 died. A catastrophic earthquake earlier that year had exacerbated human and environmental risks by displacing millions of people and disrupting public health infrastructure. But there would have been no Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentFamily Health History and the Holidays
During the holiday season, many of us will be watching our favorite holiday movies for the umpteenth time. Some of our favorites (according to Gayot, Moviefone and Yahoo are Home Alone, A Christmas Story, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and It’s a Wonderful Life. Most holiday movies seem to have relatives as central characters and family gatherings Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentBeyond Base Pairs to Bedside: A Community Consultation on Closing the Gap between Genomic Discoveries and the Public’s Health
In June 2011, the CDC Office of Public Health Genomics launched a community wide consultation process to develop priorities for the field of public health genomics in the next 5 years. This process was initiated as part of strategic visioning for integrating the emerging tools of genomics into practice and assuring the success of these Read More >
Posted on byA Million Hearts, A Thousand Genes, and Your Family History
In September 2011, the US Department of Health and Human Services announced a new initiative to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes in the United States in the next 5 years. This campaign will implement proven, effective, and inexpensive interventions in both clinical and community settings. In clinical practice, it will improve management of Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsGenomics in Public Health Preparedness: Chance Favors the Prepared Mind
Contagion, catastrophe, even “zombie apocalypse”— whatever the threat, an all hazards approach goes a long way toward protecting individuals and communities. But besides delivering broad-spectrum medical and technical support, the public health system has to be ready to investigate. Public health sciences help keep “better safe than sorry” from becoming “better luck next time” by Read More >
Posted on byThink (Again) Before You Spit: Readers Weigh In
We thank our readers for their thoughtful comments on our recent post, which discussed the validity and utility of personal genomic tests for improving health. Clearly, this topic engenders a range of reactions as reflected in a recent scientific discussion. Several people I know have sought testing for various reasons, including curiosity, genealogic research, or just Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentThink Before You Spit: Do Personal Genomic Tests Improve Health?
Campaigns against public spitting in the 19th century were largely driven by concerns about the spread of tuberculosis. However, at the beginning of the 21st century, spitting seems to be making a comeback. Over the past few years, several companies have begun offering personal genomic tests online to the public. There have been famous images of Read More >
Posted on by 11 Comments