The First National Conference on Genetics and Disease Prevention provided a forum for public health professionals at all levels of practice to discuss the implications of human genetics discoveries. This Second National Conference will challenge health care decision-makers to think critically about integrating genetics into public health policy, research, and practice.

Questions to be addressed in plenary sessions

I. Overview of Advances in Human Genetics

• What is the status of the Human Genome Project?
• How will our understanding of the human genome transform medicine in the future?

II. Genetics a from Public Health Perspective

• What population-based research must be done to turn genetic discoveries into opportunities to improve health and prevent disease?
• What kind of policy research is needed to incorporate advances in genetics into health policy?
• How can public health agencies and schools of public health facilitate the integration of genetic tests and services into public health practice?

III. Developing Genetics Capacity within Public Health Infrastructure

• How can existing health-data systems be expanded to include genetic information?
• What should be done to ensure the effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of genetic tests and services?
• How can we ensure that health professionals are competent in the appropriate use of genetic information?

IV. Emerging Genetic Technologies: Impact on the Future

• What are the latest developments in genetic technology?
• How might these and future technological advances improve health and prevent disease?

V. Community Perspectives on Genetics

• What experiences and concerns do different communities have with genetic research and testing?
• How can communities be engaged in discussions about the risks and benefits of genetic research and testing?

VI. Preventing Disease Through Genetic Knowledge: A Case Study of a Heritable Syndrome for Colon Cancer

• What public health research (e.g., epidemiology, prevention effectiveness) followed the discovery of genes associated with the syndrome?
• What standards of practice have been developed from this research?
• What lessons does this example provide for future developments in genetics?

VII. Privacy and Confidentiality

• What are the privacy and confidentiality issues related to medical records in general?
• How is genetic information similar to and different from other types of health data that is kept in medical records?
• What is being done to assess effective policy options around the issue of genetic information?

VIII. Financing of Public Health Functions

• What is the government's role in financing the integration of genetic information into public health research and practice?
• What other financial resources are available?

IX. Challenge for the Future: Partnerships to Promote Health

• How can public agencies collaborate with one another and form partnerships with private organizations in using genetic discoveries to improve health and prevent disease?