Hereditary diseases

Obtaining details of an individual's family history is a long-established method used to recognise possible future health problems that might otherwise be unsuspected. Many disorders have been recognised as occurring more in some families than others. In the UK, insurers are only allowed to ask about first-degree relatives (parents, siblings, children) but even this information provides clues to the genetic and environmental influences affecting an individual's health. Our physical make-up and characteristics, although influenced by lifestyle and environmental factors, are fundament...