Genomic Messages: How the Evolving Science of Genetics Affects Our Health, Families, and Future

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.