Rapid advances in genetics have led to major impacts upon general practioners' (GPs) needs to better understand and provide information and referrals on genetic conditions to patients and their families.
In late 2004, The Australian Government agency Biotechnology Australia initiated a project to develop a national educational resource on genetic medicine for Australian GPs. The outcome of this project is the Genetics in Family Medicine: The Australian Handbook for General Practitioners.
In addition to the information available for General Practitioners, the Handbook also includes Patient and Family Fact Sheets, which can also be downloaded below.
Note: NHMRC is currently in the process of reviewing this resource. Though NHMRC is not making amendments to the existing document at this stage, NHMRC has been advised that the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (NBOCC) has reviewed the evidence for ovarian cancer screening. You may wish to consider the information regarding ovarian cancer screening included in the chapter, 'Cancer in the Family', in light of the NBOCC's December 2009 position statement.
Download Patient and Family Fact Sheets
- Genetics in Family Medicine: The Australian Handbook for General Practitioners (PDF, 6.48MB)
- Genetics in family Medicine: Genetics at a glance (PDF, 1.0MB)
Document Sections
- 01 - Title page, contents, preface (PDF, 2.7MB)
- 02 - Contacts, support and testing (PDF, 1.2MB)
- 03 - Testing and pregnancy (PDF, 1.3MB)
- 04 - Newborn Screening (PDF, 914KB)
- 05 - Cancer in the family (PDF, 895KB)
- 06 - Cardiovascular Conditions (PDF, 1.03MB)
- 07 - Chromosomal conditions (PDF, 794 KB)
- 08 - Clotting and bleeding conditions (PDF, 830KB)
- 09 - Cystic fibrosis (PDF, 664KB)
- 10 - Diabetes (PDF, 872KB)
- 11 - Fragile X syndrome (PDF, 1.0MB)
- 12 - Haemoglobanopathies (PDF, 1.2MB)
- 13 - Hereditary haemochromatosis (PDF, 601KB)
- 14 - Neurofibromatosis (PDF, 432KB)
- 15 - Neurological conditions (PDF, 796KB)
- 16 - Psychiatric conditions (PDF, 527KB)
- 17 - Genetics in practice (PDF, 1.0MB)
- 18 - Emerging genetic technologies (PDF, 866KB)
- 19 - Glossary (PDF, 549KB)
- 20 - Index (PDF, 339KB)
Document Factsheets
- 02 - How do genetic conditions occur? (PDF, 307KB)
- 02 - Talking with doctors (PDF, 295KB)
- 02 - What is a gene? (PDF, 297KB)
- 02 - Your family history (PDF, 296KB)
- 03 - Preparing for pregnancy (PDF, 303KB)
- 03 - Testing if you are pregnant (PDF, 313KB)
- 04 - Newborn screening (PDF, 294KB)
- 05 - Cancer in the family (PDF, 313KB)
- 06 - Heart conditions (PDF, 309KB)
- 07 - Chromosomal conditions (PDF, 304KB)
- 08 - Clotting disorders (PDF, 304KB)
- 08 - Haemophilias (PDF, 297KB)
- 09 - Cystic fibrosis (PDF, 303KB)
- 10 - Diabetes (PDF, 304KB)
- 11 - Developmental delay (PDF, 341KB)
- 12 - Haemoglobinopathies (PDF, 334KB)
- 13 - Hereditary haemochromatosis (PDF, 299KB)
- 15 - Neurological conditions (PDF, 296KB)
- 16 - Mental illness (PDF, 293KB)
- 17 - Genetic testing and screening (PDF, 301KB)
- 17 - Genetics services (PDF, 298KB)
- 17 - Support groups (PDF, 305KB)
- 18 - New genetic technologies (PDF, 308KB)