UW News

June 3, 2004

Symposium June 23 to explore changes in law and medicine from genetic testing

A symposium exploring the ethical, social and legal implications of genetic testing that predicts future health will be held at the UW Wednesday evening, June 23.

The program, organized by the Thomas C. Wales Foundation, is presented in cooperation with UW Medicine and the School of Law. It begins at 6 p.m. in Hogness Auditorium at the Health Sciences Center and is expected to conclude about 8 p.m. The fee to attend is $15.

Registration is not required unless participants want to have continuing education credit. For credits, consult the Foundation’s Web site at http://www.walesfoundation.org

Dr. Andrew Ziskind, associate vice president for clinical programs, UW Medicine, will introduce the program. Dr. Robert Waterston, chair of the Department of Genome Sciences, and Dr. Wylie Burke, chair of the Department of Medical History and Ethics, will make presentations, followed by a panel with Dr. Patricia Kuszler, associate dean for research and faculty development in the School of Law.

The program will address a broad range of issues raised by the increasing availability of genetic testing that predicts future health, including how the tests affect the practice of medicine and how the legal system can deal with these new challenges.