An independent panel convened by the National Institutes of Health contends the industry needs to better understand how information from family health histories can be effectively collected and used in primary care settings.
The 16-member panel of experts from the fields of medical practice, behavioral science, research, informatics and ethics found that additional research is needed to understand how the routine collection of family health history can lead to improved outcomes.
There clearly are benefits to obtaining and acting on family health history but also the potential for harm from over-treatment and patient anxiety, according to a statement the panel has published. Its findings and recommendations are aimed at the research and health professional communities to influence research rather than current clinical practice.
"Given the unprecedented proliferation of genomic information, it is imperative to clarify the role of family history in improving health," says Alfred Berg, M.D., chair of the panel and a professor in the department of family medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle. "Additionally, increased emphasis on personalized medicine and electronic health records creates a fascinating opportunity to maximize the value of this information responsibly."
The panel's statement is an independent report and not a policy statement of the National Institutes of Health or federal government. The statement is available at http://consensus.nih.gov. The Office of the U.S. Surgeon General offers a Web site where families can record their health history, at hhs.gov/familyhistory.
--Joseph Goedert
AUG 27, 2009 12:17pm ET
Panel Seeks Better Use of Family History
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