Advocacy

While summer in Washington D.C. is usually a quiet time – both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives traditionally break for a recess for most of the month of August – this year is looking to be the exception.  Congress is having a busier summer than usual as legislation for politically charged issues... Read More

Published: Monday, July 12, 2021, 12:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time Media Contact: Krystal Foster, 631-946-0740 press@ashg.org ROCKVILLE, MD – The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) has named Sharon Terry, MA as the 2021 recipient of the Advocacy Award. Terry is president and CEO of the Genetic Alliance, an organization engaging individuals, families, and communities... Read More

The pandemic and challenges of the past year have made clear how much science and research can impact every aspect of society, from public health and health equity to the economy. It is now more important than ever for scientists to engage with the public, including policymakers. The Government and Public Advocacy Committee (GPAC) is... Read More

ASHG supports policies that promote genetic and genomic data sharing to advance research and health care with strong protections in place for genetic information. The Society is concerned that a provision in the Senate-passed U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA, S.1260), that requires NIH to consider national security risks in the conduct of human genomic... Read More

A draft bill introduced in May 2019 sought to reform Section 101 of the U.S. Patent Act. If passed, the legislation would allow for the patenting of genes by effectively overturning the 2013 Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) vs. Myriad Supreme Court decision. Related: Joint Letter from ASHG and ACMG Leadership to Bill Sponsors (July... Read More