Genomics and Precision Public Health At a Glance

The CDC Office of Genomics and Precision Public Health (OGPPH) provides timely and credible information for the effective and responsible translation of genomics and precision health advances into public health and health care.

OGPPH identifies genomic testing, family health history, and precision health applications that are ready to impact health if implemented effectively:

• The Tier-Classified Guidelines Database is an on-line, searchable resource for genomic testing, family health history, and precision health applications classified based on scientific evidence and evidence-based recommendations.  Over 410 genetic testing guidelines have been classified according to a three tiered framework developed by OGPPH, including 100 classified as tier 1 applications:
  • Tier 1/green applications are supported by synthesized evidence or evidence-based recommendations for implementation in practice.
  • Tier 2/yellow applications are not supported by sufficient synthesized evidence or evidence-based recommendations for routine implementation in practice; however, they may inform decision making on a case-by-case basis.
  • Tier 3/red applications are not supported by synthesized evidence for implementation in practice or have evidence-based recommendations against their use; however, they might be candidates for research.
• The Public Health Genomics and Precision Health Knowledge Base (PHGKB) is an online, customizable, user-based system that provides convenient access to the published scientific literature, CDC resources, and other sources that track progress in human and pathogen genomics, and in other areas of precision public health. PHGKB includes 12 specialized databases on topic such as cancer, infectious diseases, rare diseases, and health equity, as well as a CDC-authored publications and state public health genomics program resources. OGPPH searches the peer-reviewed and grey literature on a weekly basis using machine learning, natural language processing, and other methods to identify genomics and precision health information relevant to population health to help keep the PHGKB on the cutting edge.

OGPPH informs about evidence-based genomic and precision health applications to impact population health:

OGPPH has developed a multifaceted communications strategy to share information on genomics and precision health with public health programs, health providers, policymakers, and the general public.

• OGPPH’s Genomics and Precision Health Weekly Update provides timely information about genomic tests, family health history, and precision health to over 35,000 subscribers.
• The Genomics and Precision Health blog addresses current topics such as family health history, health equity, precision health, and pathogen and human genomics, including 28 new blog posts in 2021.
• @CDC_Genomics shares tweets on translating genomics and precision health discoveries into actions that improve health and prevent disease with over 14,000 followers.
• The CDC Genomics and Precision Health Seminar Series offered 10 webinars with over 1,200 participants in 2021.
• The OPHG website includes new and updated information on family health history, genetic testing and counseling, and genomics and health. The OGPPH website and PHGKB had over 3.4 million views combined in 2021.

OGPPH integrates evidence-based genomic and precision health applications into practice and programs:

• The Surgeon General’s My Family Health Portrait tool, hosted by OGPPH since September 2018, is a resource for public health programs, health providers and the general public to promote the collection and sharing of family health history information. The My Family Health Portrait tool is being further developed as a platform to aid implementation of evidence-based guidelines that incorporate family health history in disease prevention.
• Integrating Human Genomics into Public Health Surveillance and Applied Research. In collaboration with the CDC Office of Advanced Molecular Detection, OGPPH launched a new, five-year initiative to strengthen public health capacity by introducing elements of human genomics into both public health surveillance and applied research. Six projects across five CIOs were selected for funding in 2022 and 2023. They cover a wide range of topics, including:
  • Assessing the impact of genetics in the control of two infectious diseases (Tuberculosis, Ebola virus)
  • Enhancing the reporting of gene/genome sequencing in newborn screening programs,
  • Examining the role of medications and genetics in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS),
  • Establishing population-based, ethnicity-specific allele frequencies for pharmacogenomic traits of public health importance using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES),
  • Enhancing the evaluation of genetic risk prediction models for inhibitor development among people with hemophilia in different populations.