In recent years, genome-wide association studies have been widely used for predicting genes that are associated with common complex diseases, fueling interest in the potential application of genetic risk models for clinical and public health practice. With an increasing amount of data being generated, a concern being raised is that valid interpretation of findings may be compromised by the lack of complete and transparent reporting of information. In a Correspondence that was co-published in 10 journals including Genome Medicine this week, Cecile Janssens and colleagues present the GRIPS statement, a comprehensive set of guidelines to help to strengthen the reporting of genetic risk prediction studies.

The GRIPS statement was developed by a multidisciplinary panel of risk prediction researchers, epidemiologists, geneticists, methodologists, statisticians and journal editors who discussed the topic at a workshop sponsored by the Human Genome Epidemiology Network. The resulting checklist provides recommendations that are relevant for a wide spectrum of risk prediction studies and a broad audience. Janssens et al. emphasize that the GRIPS statement does not prescribe how studies should be performed, but advises on the adequate reporting of methods and findings. 

By encouraging dissemination of the statement, the contributors hope to promote a culture of high-quality reporting to facilitate the accurate interpretation of genetic risk prediction studies and their implications for health care.