The Initiative on Genomics & Public Health
About us
Aims
- Promote universal access to genomics information, research and its applications in clinical and public health practice, especially in developing countries
- Strengthen capacity for research and application of genomics in clinical and public health, and promote research on genomics and public health in developing countries
- Establish infrastructure and mechanisms to identify and evaluate cost-effectiveness, validity and utility of tangible genomics-based applications for clinical and public health practice
- Establish guidance, norms and standards for genomics-based applications in clinical and public health practice
- Encourage public engagement on ethical, legal, social and economic implications of genomics
- Work across WHO to place genomics within the wider context of the Organization's broader mission, priorities & core functions
History, and how we work
WHO's Advisory Committee on Health Research (ACHR) identified genomics as an important area with implications for world health through its commissioning of the "Genomics and World Health" report (2002).
The WHO Department of Research Policy & Cooperation established the WHO Initiative on Genomics & Public Health (IGPH) in April 2010.
IGPH is a WHO wide Initiative. The premise of our work is that genomics is a cross-disciplinary field within public health and as such based in the wider context of WHO’s broader agenda.
IGPH works closely with the WHO Human Genetics Programme, and with relevant WHO infectious disease departments. Please see the section on Genomics in WHO for more information about genomics related work in WHO.
IGPH collaborates with several external experts and organizations from both developed and developing countries.
Contact
For more information on the IGPH or if you have any suggestions to our work or website, please contact us:
The Initiative on Genomics & Public Health
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20
1211 Geneva
Switzerland
igph@who.int