About Us

Goals

The following goals were developed by the Forum members in Fall 2007. 

1)     Represent the public health community including APHA Components and State Affiliates, the public health workforce, and others interested in public health such as government, community, advocacy, academia, healthcare, business, and the media.

2)     Work within APHA Sections, SPIGs, Caucuses, and State Affiliates to promote workforce competency in genomics, including an improved understanding of the relevance and impact of genomics on public health.

3)     Engage public health and health care communities and others in projects and activities that increase the awareness, knowledge, and skills of genetic services as these services relate to:

a.      The ethical, legal, and social issues surrounding genetics/ genomics/ epigenetics;

b.      The relationships and relevance of genomics to public health, health care, and health disparities;

c.      Professional and public education; and

d.      Other areas as generated by Forum members.

4)     Guide policy by proposing updates to existing APHA policies on genetics, genomics, and epigenetics, and creating new position statements and opportunities for advocacy.

5)     Create opportunities for networking.  

  Comments?

While the goals were approved by a vote among the general membership in December 2007, your comments and feedback are always welcome: http://APHAGenomicsForum.blogspot.com

  During the voting, we received a few comments on the goals as stated; these have been posted to the blog.

What is a Forum?

A Forum is a new structure within the American Public Health Association (APHA) that addresses cross-cutting issues like genomics and facilitates communication across Sections and SPIGs. In addition to the annual business meetings, Forums sponsor scientific sessions and provide networking opportunities. If you join the Forum, you can still remain a member of your existing Section or SPIG.

What is the Genomics Forum?

The Genomics Forum of APHA is a growing, interdisciplinary group of individuals, focused on different aspects of public health. We realize the growing influence that genetics and genomics are exerting upon everyday life in America and the need for APHA to play a key role in deciding how they will be used to affect the health of populations.

The predictive nature of genetics/genomics parallels the preventive health goals of public health agencies throughout the nation. However, most public health agencies are not aware of how genetics/genomics can be used as a tool to improve population health. There is a great need to educate the current and future public health workforce to understand the basics of genetics/genomics and the implications of this field, provide communities with appropriately designed information that will promote good health in the context of genetic information, and make sure that genetic information is used to decrease and not increase health disparities of all types (income, education, ethnicity, etc.). The Forum will focus on this integration of genomics into public health.

This Forum will also allow APHA to show a firm commitment to assuring that public health principles are integrated into genomics practice and research. For example, multiple government agencies are placing substantial funds into clinical applications such as pharmacogenomics (i.e. personalized medicine). In order to make sure that personalized medicine means public medicine, APHA must be at the forefront of conversations about how genetics/genomics will be used to improve the health of people in America and worldwide. This forum will contribute to ensuring that this happens.

The Forum was approved by APHA in November 2007; for more information view our Completed Application, which includes an initial Leadership Plan, Statement of Intent, and Letters of Support from the Maternal and Child Health Section and Community Health Planning and Policy Development Section.

Who is involved and what are we doing?

There are currently practitioners, researchers, and community members from state and federal governmental agencies, advocacy groups, academia, and healthcare organizations working on defining and actualizing the Genomics forum. We currently communicate via listserv, in regular conference calls, and through the development of a website. In addition to the annual business meeting held on October 26, 2008 in San Diego prior to APHA, we will also sponsor scientific sessions in coming years, and may develop projects in education, policy development, advocacy, research, or other areas, depending on the needs and interests of our members. All are invited to join.

How can you be involved?

Sign up today.

You do not need to be a current member of APHA, though it helps us in becoming an official APHA component.