Weak Link Between Family Health Histories, Chronic Conditions

Berg added that "a lot of interesting possibilities" exist about how a family history can be integrated into health system records and how that "might make it possible for individuals to do a much better job about managing some of the lifestyle issues that might be implicated by genetic susceptibility." However, he said, "those issues were simply not addressed by the review."

The panel noted that additional research will be needed to understand how the routine collection of family history will lead to improved health outcomes. To help address these gaps, the panel outlined several research recommendations in three categories: The family health information to be collected, the optimal way to collect and use it, and the outcomes of this tool for diagnosis and engagement with individuals and family members.

Berg emphasizes that family histories still should be a part of primary practice, "but the evidence review itself doesn't really change the approach that we're going to be taking."

The panel's statement is an independent report and is not a policy statement of the NIH or the federal government. The conference was sponsored by NIH's Office of Medical Applications of Research and the National Human Genome Research Institute.