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Ready or not, medical practice is changing. Advances in the field of genomics--the study of how our DNA is constructed and functions--have made it easier for physicians to diagnose, treat, and even predict today's many pressing health concerns. With the emergence of genomic sequencing and DNA analysis, this is an exciting moment in science, medicine, and personal health. But it's also an uncertain time, one fraught with understandable and uncomfortable questions: Can we take advantage of genomic progress and avoid genomic discrimination? Can medicine be tailored to a patient's unique DNA profile? How will DNA banks and electronic medical records affect our privacy and welfare? Should we screen our healthy child's DNA? When is information too much information? In Genomic Messages, George Annas, j.d., m.p.h., and Sherman Elias, M.D., a health lawyer/bioethicist and an obstetrician-gynecologist/geneticist, respectively, answer these and other pressing questions about genomics. Together, they detail the field's past, present, and future, while laying out its myriad legal, medical, and ethical ramifications. They empower individuals and families with the knowledge to make better decisions about their short-term and long-term health. Comprehensive, accessible, and revolutionary, Genomic Messages is the definitive guide to genomics, personalized medicine, and the future of healthcare.

Author Biography

George Annas, J.D., M.P.H., is Warren Distinguished Professor at Boston University, chair of the Department of Health Law, Bioethics, and Human Rights at Boston University School of Public Health, and professor in the Boston University School of Medicine and School of Law. He is a member of the Institute of Medicine and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is cofounder of Global Lawyers and Physicians, and his research has focused on the rights of patients and the regulation of research on human subjects.Sherman Elias, M.D., was professor emeritus of obstetrics and gynecol-ogy and clinical genetics, and the retired chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. Elias served as president of the Society of Gynecologic Investigation, director of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and vice president for clinical practice of the American College of Medical Genetics. He chaired both the ethics and genetics committees of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. His research focused on reproductive genetics, including prenatal diagnosis using fetal cells and nucleic acids from maternal blood.

Review

"Beginning tomorrow, your health, privacy, and peace of mind could be imperiled if you fail to heed the compelling content and insightful advice of George Annas and Sherman Elias in Genomic Messages." -- Jerome P. Kassirer, M.D. Distinguished Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, The New England Journal of Medicine"It is often said that the field of genetics is moving so fast that ethics and the law cannot keep up. This is not the case if you read this comprehensive, accessible, and engaging book ..." -- Arthur L. Caplan, Ph.D Head Division of Medical Ethics, New York University Langone Medical Center" As all of us face decisions as patients about whether to undergo genetic tests and as citizens about whether to ban genetic tampering, Genomic Messages provides direction as we unfold our genetic maps -- Lori Andrews, Professor of Law, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law" Annas and Elias propose ways we can control the use of genomics on ourselves and our families to gain its benefits, without falling prey to this unregulated technology, eroding our privacy, and becoming needlessly alarmed by unwanted genomic messages." -- Sidney M. Wolfe, MD, Founder, Senior Advisor Public Citizen's Health Research Group and "Through telling the stories of actual patients, Annas and Elias identify the key issues that need addressing as we advance toward a future where genomics will be commonplace in clinical care and precision medicine will be known as just medicine." -- The Scientist

Review Quote

"It is often said that the field of genetics is moving so fast that ethics and the law cannot keep up. This is not the case if you read this comprehensive, accessible, and engaging book …"

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