Genomics and Precision Health Posts
Public Health is Striving Towards More Precision
In the past few years, the term “precision medicine” has become firmly established in the modern biomedical research enterprise. More recently, the term “precision” has made its way to the realm of public health. We and others have contributed to the discourse on precision public health and its relation to precision medicine. But not everyone Read More >
Posted on byAnnouncing a New CDC Home for the U.S. Surgeon General’s Family Health History Tool
On Thanksgiving Day 2004, the U.S. Surgeon General launched a national public health campaign called the U.S. Surgeon General’s Family History Initiative. The campaign quickly became a yearly event to raise public awareness about the importance of family health history, and encourage all families to learn more about their health histories. The initiative also launched Read More >
Posted on byWhen Should You Be Screened for Colorectal Cancer?
Starting at the right time saves lives. People with a family history of CRC may need to start much earlier. Doctors and public health professionals strive to live by the creed “First, do no harm” but often wrestle with difficult choices, including when and how often screening tests should be conducted. Effective prevention of colorectal Read More >
Posted on byWhat is the Value of Rapid Genomic Sequencing in Acute Infant Care?
Rapid genomic sequencing includes both rapid genome sequencing (rGS) and rapid exome sequencing (rES). Proponents argue that next generation sequencing (NGS) in acutely ill infants can deliver timely diagnostic results and enable life-changing clinical interventions. An international group of experts recently published a white paper in Genetics in Medicine that made the following assertions: Demonstration Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentA Road Map for Evaluation and Appropriate Implementation of Genome Sequencing to Improve Population Health
This blog is a summary of our recently published paper in PLOS Medicine, and is an update of my 2011 blog on “binning” the human genome. A common vision for genomic medicine is that genome sequencing will be routinely used in health systems to provide health care and preventive services tailored to each individual. For Read More >
Posted on byTracking Progress in Public Health Genomics at CDC: A New CDC-Authored Genomics Publication Database
Are you curious about the progress CDC is making in genomic research? With the ever-increasing amount of scientific literature on genomics in public health—from infectious diseases to chronic diseases and environmental health—a new database offers timely updates on genomic research by CDC staff. The CDC’s Office of Public Health Genomics, has launched a new CDC-Authored Read More >
Posted on byUsing Genetic Risk Scores in Cancer Screening: Are We There Yet?
Precision screening seeks to measure benefits and risks of screening more accurately by accounting for individual-level differences, such as those in genetics, environment, and lifestyle factors. Accounting for individual differences may allow risk stratification to identify persons whose cancer risk is high enough that the benefits of screening would outweigh potential harms or whose cancer Read More >
Posted on byCan Genetic Risk Scores Score a Win for Precision Prevention? Time and Rigorous Studies Will Tell
In May 2018, CDC’s Office of Public Health Genomics, the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science held a special webinar titled: “Using Genetic Risk Scores in the Prevention and Control of Common Diseases: Opportunities and Challenges.” Read More >
Posted on byConsumer Genetic Testing Is Booming: But What are the Benefits and Harms to Individuals and Populations?
Initially a Niche Market for Very Few with Small Population Impact The first genetic tests directly available to consumers for health were offered in 1996. The concept, then, was both audacious and bold: the idea that individuals could explore their own human genome without the aid of a health care provider to order the test Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsStimulating Implementation Science in Genomics and Precision Medicine for Heart, Lung, Blood and Sleep Diseases: The Case of Familial Hypercholesterolemia
Implementation science is an emerging field of scientific inquiry that has been increasingly applied to genomics and precision medicine. In our recent papers on the state of scientific publications and NIH funding, we have identified areas of growth and limitations of the field and called for more training and workforce development for implementation science in Read More >
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