“Genetics and Democracy“ opens a series of special issues in the Journal of Community Genetics (JOCG), dedicated to topics of central interest in this field. JOCG special issues are created under the full editorial responsibility of their guest editors. All contributions undergo the regular peer-review process and are made available on-line in the same way as contributions to regular issues, typically within about two weeks after acceptance.

The Genetics and Democracy issue is based on a cycle of seminars, starting in 2007 at the University of Lund (Sweden), which resulted from a broad collaboration of researchers from the fields of clinical genetics, political science, history, ethnology, sociology, and population genetics. Topics covered in this special issue include biobanking governance, genetic screening and its public oversight, transgenic and carcinogenic risk assessment of pharmaceuticals, the Internet and genetic testing, legal definitions of genetic testing, and genetic testing legislation.

A subsequent special issue will review “Genetic Aspects of Preconception Consultation in Primary Care”, with Jon Emery (Australia), Anne L. Dunlop (USA) and Leo P. ten Kate (The Netherlands) acting as guest editors. It will cover: factors determining genetic risk, what can be offered to couples at (possibly) increased risk, taking a medical family history, consanguinity, preconception carrier screening, exposure to mutagens, psychosocial issues, ethical issues, and the future of genetic risk assessment.

Two further upcoming special issues are currently being put together under the guest editorship of Irma Nippert (Germany). They have emerged from a project run in close collaboration with the EU Network of Excellence “Eurogentest,” but separately funded by the European Union “Capacity Building for the Transfer of Genetic Knowledge into Practice and Prevention (CAPABILITY)” and its follow-up initiative, GenTEE (Genetic Testing in Emerging Economies), supported by the European Commission’s Research Centre “Institute for Health and Consumer Protection” (IHCP). Project participants included leading experts from Argentina, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Oman, the Philippines and South Africa, with the major focus on mapping current genetic services and the development of projects to design, harmonize, validate and standardize genetic testing services and to integrate genetic services in primary care and prevention in these countries.

The GenTEE special issue will be dedicated to Rodney Harris CBE, Emeritus Professor of Medical Genetics, University of Manchester, formerly Chair of the Department of Medical Genetics, St Mary’s Hospital Manchester, UK, on the occasion of his 80th birthday. Rodney Harris has been a pioneer in setting up an international network of senior clinical geneticists to investigate the structure, workloads and quality of genetic services in 31 European countries. His initiative for the Concerted Action on Genetic Services in Europe (CAGSE), funded by the European Commission in the early 90s, provided vital data to encourage medical genetic services consistent with the special needs of each country and to promote international co-operation (Harris 1997). GenTEE stands in this tradition.

I hope that these special issues will also be of special interest to our readership. JOCG welcomes ideas from the community for other topics suitable for this format.