In 2004, the Rockefeller Foundation initiated the Bellagio Group on Public Health Genomics, which was led by three scientists, Wiley Burke (Seattle), Muin Khoury (CDC, Atlanta) and Ron Zimmern (PHG Foundation, Cambridge), and developed a first description of the enterprise of Public Health Genomics. The Bellagio Statement led to the establishment of an international forum, the Genome-based Research and Population Health International Network (GRAPH Int). The vision and the ultimate goal of both the enterprise and the network are the effective translation of genome-based knowledge for the benefit of population health.
Thus, public health genomics has been defined as a new field within public health that combines knowledge from genetic and molecular science with insights from the population sciences and the humanities and social sciences. This integrated knowledge is used to develop programs and policies aimed at protecting and improving the health of populations. In other words, public health genomics aims to translate genomic knowledge from biotechnology through genetic epidemiology into public health, both for chronic and infectious diseases.
This new field demands a conceptual shift in both genomics and public health: genomics needs to understand how it can include public health aspects in its work programme while public health needs to analyse how genomics changes the concepts of public health. It also demands a conceptual shift in bioethics: it will require a proportional balance between providing strong protection of individuals' interests and enabling populations to benefit from the genomic advancements.
The integration of genomics into public health research, policy and practice will be one of the most important future challenges for the health-care systems. Many chronic diseases are multifactorial and social and environmental determinants of health are worth emphasis as genetic/genomic factors. Large-scale genomic research, including the identification of gene-disease associations for parasitic (e.g., malaria), viral (e.g., HIV or hepatitis) and bacterial infections (e.g., tuberculosis or cholera) and epidemiological studies are still needed for translating scientific discoveries into public health interventions.
Bellagio Statement. Genome-based Research and Population Health. Report of an expert workshop held at the Rockefeller Foundation Study and Conference Center, Bellagio, Italy, 14–20 April 2005. Online (Accessed April 2009).
Brand, A., Brand, H., Schulte in den Bäumen, T. The impact of genetics and genomics on public health. Eur J Hum Genet 2008; 16: 5–13.
WHO (World Health Organization). (2002) Genomics and the World Health. Report of the Advisory Committee on Health Research. Geneva. Online (Accessed April 2009).
Publication Inclusion and Exclusion in Nutrigenetics Clinical Research: Ethical and Scientific Challenges
An article by Hurlimann T, Stenne R, Menuz V and Godard B published in the Journal of Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics 2011; 4(6). Online first. There are compelling reasons to ensure the participation of ethnic minorities and... Read more
An article by Hurlimann T, Stenne R, Menuz V and Godard B published in the Journal of Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics 2011; 4(6). Online first. There are compelling reasons to ensure the participation of ethnic minorities and populations of all ages worldwide in nutrigenetics clinical research. If findings in such research are valid for some individuals, groups, or communities, and not for others, then ethical questions of justice – and not only issues of methodology and external validity – arise. This paper aims to examine inclusion in nutrigenetics clinical research and its scientific and ethical challenges. For more information, click here.
Publication Is Human Enhancement also a Personal Matter?
An article by Vincent Menuz, Thierry Hurlimann and Béatrice Godard, published in Science and engineering ethics, online first (2011) DOI:Read more
An article by Vincent Menuz, Thierry Hurlimann and Béatrice Godard, published in Science and engineering ethics, online first (2011) DOI:10.1007/s11948-011-9294-y. This paper proposes a timely and much needed examination of the various definitions of human enhancement found in the literature and proposes a definition of human enhancement that focuses on individual perceptions. While acknowledging that a definition that mainly depends on personal and subjective individual perceptions raises many challenges, the authors suggest that a comprehensive approach to define human enhancement could constitute a useful premise to appropriately address the complexity of the ethical and social issues it generates. For a full abstract and paper, click here.
