Advocacy

ASHG supports DNA profiling as a law enforcement tool to identify criminals and exonerate the innocent. The Society believes, however, that the use of DNA in those contexts must respect the public’s right to privacy and that DNA collection should be limited to those convicted of or reasonably suspected of having committed a serious crime.... Read More

In 2016, the Parliament of Canada debated bill S-201, the Genetic Non-Discrimination Act, which would ensure that all Canadians can benefit from genetics-based clinical advances without fear of genetic discrimination. ASHG has long supported the establishment of strong protections against genetic discrimination worldwide, and as such, advocated in favor of S-201. The bill was signed... Read More

In 2015 and 2016, ASHG submitted comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on two related proposed regulations for Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)-based in vitro diagnostics. Appreciative of being engaged in the process, ASHG submitted comments to further inform and clarify the issue. Related: Comments on “Use of Standards in FDA Regulatory Oversight... Read More

ASHG supports state licensure of certified genetic counselors to help ensure that the public has access to genetic and genomic services provided by qualified health professionals. The rapidly expanding use of genomics in healthcare decisions will increase the need for qualified genetics professionals, and genetic counselors play an important role in treating patients and families.... Read More

In 2015, ASHG issued a position statement on ethical, legal, and psychosocial implications of genetic testing in children and adolescents. Published in The American Journal of Human Genetics, the statement aims to guide approaches to genetic testing for children in the research and clinical contexts. Related: Infographics: Pediatric Genetic Testing (March 2016) Points to Consider:... Read More