July 17-19, 2009, Genetic Alliance held its Annual Conference—Discovering Openness in Health Systems—at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in metro Washington, DC.

Openness forms both the product and the process of Genetic Alliance. We believe that an environment of openness is essential to the health of all individuals, families, and communities. The Genetic Alliance 2009 Annual Conference was a celebration of openness and an invitation to the community at large to abandon turf so that we can achieve truly productive transformation of the health system and
health itself.

Discovering Openness in Health Systems brought together a diverse mix of advocates, health professionals, policymakers, industry professionals, and community leaders. Participants from all fields engaged in open discussion and debate on a range of relevant topics in genetics and advocacy. Over the course of three days, symposia, workshops, and panel discussions focused on what ultimately
matters: health.

Photo Album: Discovering Openness in Health Systems		View online commentary about the conference on our blog. Conference Agenda 2009 Award Winners Sponsors Exhibitors Materials

Funding for this conference was made possible (in part) by 1 R13 HG005190-01 from the NIH National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), the Office of Rare Diseases Research (ORDR), the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), and cooperative agreement U33MC0795 with the Genetic Services Branch of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention by trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the
US Government.