In the news

The Office of Genetics and Disease Prevention of the US Centers for Disease and the editors of the American Journal of Epidemiology and Epidemiological Reviews have announced that they are collaborating to launch the Human Genome Epidemiology Network (HuGE Net). The aim of HuGE Net, as set out in an editorial in the July issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology [Khoury, M. and Dorman, J.S. (1998) Am. J. Epidemiol. 148, 1-3] is to put the information emerging from the human genome project in an epidemiological context, by establishing an international network for collecting and disseminating peer-reviewed epidemiological information on human genes. A Web site has been set up to store the information, which will include such material as review articles, research papers, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, consensus conferences, editorials and workshop reports.

Comment: This appears to be a very interesting and useful development for public health genetics. Prototype HuGE Net gene reviews are already up on the Web site for the BRCA1 gene, the CFTR (cystic fibrosis) gene and the HbS (sick cell anaemia) allele of the beta globin gene. The PHGU will monitor the development of HuGE Net and its Web site, and highlight important new additions as they appear.