The World Medical Association Statement on Genetics and Medicine

Abstract

Preamble:

1 In recent years, the field of genetics has undergone rapid change and development. The areas of gene therapy and genetic engineering and the development of new technology have presented possibilities inconceivable only decades ago.

2 The Human Genome Project opened new spheres of research. Its applications also proved useful to clinical care, by allowing physicians to utilize knowledge of the human genome in order to diagnose future disease as well as to individualize drug therapy (pharmacogenomics).

3 Because of this, genetics has become an integral part of primary care medicine. Whereas at one time, medical genetics was devoted to the study of relatively rare genetic disorders, the Human Genome Project has established a genetic contribution to a variety of common diseases. It is therefore incumbent upon all physicians to have a working knowledge of the field.

4 Genetics is an area of medicine with enormous medical, social, ethical and legal implications. The WMA has developed this statement in order to address some of these concerns and provide guidance to physicians. These guidelines should be updated in accordance with developments in the field of genetics.