Contributions of public health to genetics education for health care professionals.
With growing knowledge about the role of genetics in health, genetics education for health care professionals has taken on increasing importance. Many efforts are under way to develop new genetics curricula. Although such efforts are primarily the responsibility of health professional schools and professional societies, the public health system is an important stakeholder, and different sectors of public health have opportunities to enhance educational efforts. These include the development of authoritative information sources about the clinical utility of genetic susceptibility and pharmacogenetic tests, creation of networks that link professionals in underserved regions to educational materials and consultative backup, and sponsorship of forums for multidisciplinary discussion of controversial issues. Public health input can help to ensure an appropriate emphasis on health outcomes as new genomic tests and technologies come into use, thus helping to protect society from the social and medical costs of genetic tests with limited clinical value.
Burke
Wylie
W
Department of Medical History and Ethics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7120, USA. wburke@u.washington.edu
D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005820:Genetic Testing; D005826:Genetics, Medical / Q000193:education*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D010597:Pharmacogenetics / Q000193:education; D011635:Public Health Administration; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000235:genetics; D012306:Risk