About genetics & personalized medicine

Find information about selected personalized medicine topics, including genetic testing, genetic discrimination, gene patenting and direct-to-consumer genetic testing, and how you can use this information as a physician.

As genetics and personalized medicine become increasingly important in patient care, physicians and scientists need readily available resources to learn about this rapidly changing field and apply it to patient care.

To make gathering a complete and accurate family medical history easier, several tools have been developed to aid the physician or health care provider and the patient in collecting family history. 

The AMA, in collaboration with several medical specialty societies, has developed legislative principles on precision medicine (PDF) that guide its advocacy efforts. Since regulation of genetic tests is integral to physician practice and patient care, the AMA advocates to preserve the physician’s role in all aspects of patient care including the oversight of laboratory developed tests (LDTs) (PDF). 

Learn more about precision medicine theory & practice.