Ethical Issues of Using Genetics in Medicine

FYI Lecture Series, Friday April 3, 2009

A presentation by Susan Hahn, Assistant Director of Communications and Compliance, Miami Institute for Human Genomics

Genetic technology fuels questions to which there are no easy answers.  Every aspect of society, law, medicine, social structure, family dynamics, and personal identity may be affected by its touch. As a result, there has been a call at many levels for the public to be knowledgeable about the ethical, legal and social implications of emerging genetic information and technology. This lecture will address the types of genetic testing currently in use, factors influencing when and how genetic testing is put into practice, and the variety of ethical, legal, and social dilemmas pertaining to the use of genetic information in healthcare.  

About Ms. Hahn, MS, CGC

Susan Estabrooks Hahn is a board certified genetic counselor currently serving as the Assistant Director of Communications and Compliance at the Miami Institute for Human Genomics, at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Her primary research role is as project coordinator for The Genomedical Connection, an innovative project aimed at determining the best approach for translating genetic research results into clinical care. Susan has a longstanding interest in genetic and research education.  She and two colleagues were awarded the 2002 Jane Engelberg Memorial Fellowship to investigate the role, skills, and training of the genetic counselors specializing in research to improve training in this area. Susan is an active leader in the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC).  She is the current chair of the Practice Guidelines Committee and a member of the practice guidelines committee of the American College of Medical Genetics. She obtained her BS in biology from The George Washington University in 1991, and her MS in genetic counseling from Brandeis University in 1996.  

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