BOOKS

From 1970 onwards medical genetic services has developed only in some institutions in a few big cities under a handful of workers unconnected with mainstream Medicare and public health programmes. Even now although prenatal diagnosis and in vitrofertilization for sterility has developed after legalisation of termination of pregnancy, the detection of genetic disease affecting the foetus or newborn is not carried out except in a few large institutions. A large number of newborn and children still die every year due to undiagnosed conditions. Some like Downs syndrome or thalassaemias and haemoglobinopathies are detected but the majority is not despite reports of familial disorders being present. The present issue of the International Journal of Human Genetics attempts to fill up some of the lacunae of our knowledge regarding the common inherited diseases in India. It is hoped that this issue would be useful in planning public health measures so that genetic counseling can be made mandatory for family welfare planning units. The necessity of ascertaining external environmental factors in the causation of these conditions are also required to provide preventive measures in life style, diet and environmental pollution.