MAY 2004 ARCHIVE NOW AVAILABLE!   Family History: Looking into the Past for a Healthier Future A Web-Assisted Audioconference Wednesday, May 26, 2004 Family history has long been a widely used tool to assess an individual’s inherited risk for disease. In the age of genomic medicine, the value of family history has gained renewed appreciation among health care professionals and others seeking to educate the public about genetics.  The recognition of family history as a basic, easily comprehensible form of genetic information also has implications for state legislatures. Nearly all state legislatures have enacted genetic discrimination or genetic privacy legislation. In some cases these statutes consider family history simply another form of genetic information while others limit protections to genetic test results. The implications of these laws may continue to evolve as our knowledge about inherited risk for common diseases improves. State legislatures and health departments may also have a role in ensuring that the benefits of family history are incorporated into health practices. Some states are already engaged in initiatives through health departments or schools to inform the public about the importance of knowing one’s family history, which may reduce risk for genetic disorders and common diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. SPEAKERS: Wendy R. Uhlmann, MS, CGC [SLIDE SHOW] Board Member, Genetic Alliance Genetic Counselor/Clinic Coordinator - University of Michigan, Medical Genetics Clinic Past President, National Society of Genetic Counselors Janet Ohene-Frempong, MS [SLIDE SHOW] President, J O Frempong & Associates Health Literacy and Cross-cultural Communications Principal & Founding Member, The Clear Language Group Rebecca Giles, MPH [SLIDE SHOW]   (printer-friendly version) Manager, Chronic Disease Genomics Program Utah Department of Health To read portable document format (.pdf) files, you must install Adobe Acrobat Reader. Questions? Please contact Alissa Johnson (202-624-5882 or alissa.johnson@ncsl.org).