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Epigenetics and Public Health: Why We Should Pay Attention
In September 2014, one of us (MJK) spoke on the topic of epigenetics at the Annual Meeting of the Association for State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO). ASTHO is a national organization representing public health agencies in the United States. ASTHO members formulate and influence public health policy and practice. In the midst of a
Posted on byIs Genomics Widening the Schism Between Medicine and Public Health?
In 2007, we published a paper entitled: “Will genomics heal or widen the schism between medicine and public health?” We explored the long standing split between medicine and public health and how the emergence of genomics and other technologies can affect it. The “schism” was identified by Kerr White in his 1991 book in which
Posted on by 1 CommentNobody is average but what to do about it? The challenge of individualized disease prevention based on genomics
Each week, Garrison Keillor shares with National Public Radio listeners the latest news from Lake Wobegon where “all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average.” The concept of “average” is deeply rooted in our scientific analysis of all health related traits such as height,
Posted on byGeography, Genetics and Leading Causes of Death
In the United States, the 5 leading causes of death are heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, cerebrovascular diseases (stroke), and unintentional injuries. On May 2, 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released an MMWR report on the annual number of potentially preventable deaths from these 5 causes in the United States.
Posted on byEvidence Matters in Genomic Medicine- Round 4: Where are we with Pharmacogenomic Tests?
Previously, CDC’s Office of Public Health Genomics announced a list of health-related genomic tests and applications, stratified into three tiers according to the availability of scientific evidence and evidence-based recommendations and systematic reviews. The list is intended to promote information exchange and dialogue among researchers, providers, policy makers, and the public. Initially the table relied
Posted on byPublic Health Genomics to Save Lives: Available Tools, Actual Examples, Real Success
Announcing New Tier 1 CDC Public Health Genomics Toolkit and Video Resources Impact… Scalability… Innovation… Evidence-based interventions… Surveillance and evaluation… Partnerships… Timely information to health care, the public, and decision makers… Commitment… These elements are crucial to any public health accomplishment and are recurring themes in 2 new public health genomics resources. Nearly 2
Posted on byPublic Health Genomics Highlights 2013
At the end of each year, we read about top lists of major events, accomplishments, and milestones. These lists are produced by journal editors, institutions and opinion leaders. CDC is no exception. In December 2013, CDC published its top 5 accomplishments for 2013, which include the Tips from former smokers campaign, outbreak investigations featuring pathogen
Posted on byWhen Should We All Have Our Genomes Sequenced?
Recently, George Church, a prominent genomics researcher and leader of the Personal Genome Project asked why so few people are opting to inspect their genome. The cost and accuracy of genome sequencing have certainly improved dramatically. He clearly sees the health benefits of whole genome sequencing. He states “we should avoid being judgmental of people
Posted on by 2 CommentsPublic Health Genomics in Action: Reducing Morbidity and Mortality from Familial Hypercholesterolemia
In September, 2013, I participated in the International Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) Summit in Annapolis, Maryland. The event was sponsored by the FH Foundation, a patient-centered organization formed in 2011 to raise awareness about the condition and to develop actions for saving lives of patients and families with FH. The meeting brought together, from the US
Posted on byPublic Health Impact of Genome-Wide Association Studies: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
Genome-wide association studies (or GWAS) are large-scale genetic investigations of human disease that measure simultaneously hundreds of thousands of genetic variants scattered throughout the human genome. GWAS burst onto the scientific scene in the mid 2000’s. Propelled by technological advances and falling prices, GWAS have revolutionized the search for genetic influences on common diseases of
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