Genetics and public health—evolution, or revolution?
- Jane L Halliday1,2,
- Veronica R Collins1,2,
- Mary Anne Aitken1,2,
- Martin P M Richards3,
- Craig A Olsson1
- 1Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Australia
- 2Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- 3Centre for Family Research, University of Cambridge, UK
- Correspondence to: Associate Professor J Halliday Public Health Genetics Unit, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, 10th Floor, Royal Children’s Hospital, Flemington Road, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; jane.hallidaymcri.edu.au
- Accepted 6 March 2004
Abstract
During the 19th and early 20th century, public health and genetics shared common ground through similar approaches to health promotion in the population. By the mid-20th century there was a division between public health and genetics, with eugenicists estranged and clinical genetics focused on single gene disorders, usually only relevant to small numbers of people. Now through a common interest in the aetiology of complex diseases such as heart disease and cancer, there is a need for people working in public health and genetics to collaborate. This is not a comfortable convergence for many, particularly those in public health. Nine main concerns are reviewed: fear of eugenics; genetic reductionism; predictive power of genes; non-modifiable risk factors; rights of individuals compared with populations; resource allocation; commercial imperative; discrimination; and understanding and education. This paper aims to contribute to the thinking and discussion about an evolutionary, multidisciplinary approach to understanding, preventing, and treating complex diseases.
Footnotes
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J L Halliday and V R Collins contributed equally to this work.
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Conflicts of interest: none declared.
