The promise of human genetic databases

doi:10.1136/bmj.322.7293.1009

BMJ 2001;322:1009-1010 ( 28 April )

Editorials

The promise of human genetic databases

High ethical as well as scientific standards are needed

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Genetic databases are now helping elucidate gene function, estimate the prevalence of genes in populations, differentiateamong subtypes of diseases, trace how genes may predispose toor protect against illnesses, and improve medical intervention.They achieve this by bringing together several streams of dataabout individuals: molecular genetic data; high quality standardisedclinical data; data on health, lifestyle, and environment; andin some cases, genealogicaldata.

The main strategy with genetic databases is to search, often by statistical brute force, for correlations, then use the geneticfocusing to guide mechanistic, pharmaceutical, and other investigations.Searching for causal associations between genetic and health phenomenais not new. While marvelling at our glossy new human genome posterswe mustn't forget the huge contributions to research, care, andcounselling $---$ and genome mapping $---$ that continue to be made by manydata collections on the classic mendelian disorders. What is revolutionaryis the precision with . . . [Full text of this article]

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