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Disease Prevention, Ultimate Goal in Genome Research
Research concerning human genome must focus on disease prevention and treatment, instead of serving eugenics, Chinese scientists have agreed.
Yang Huanming, director of the Human Genome Center, the Institute of Genetics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, dashed the hopes of some people who want advances in genetic technology to help "improve" their descendants.
Yang, the chief scientist in China who has participated in international efforts to sequence human genome, yesterday said that experiments have shown it is not possible to reduce genetic diseases through genetic improvement or through eugenics, which may cause "grave social problems."
Yang and a dozen other experts in the ethics of human genome in China have just finished a seminar in Beijing at which the Chinese Human Genome Ethical, Legal and Social Implication Committee reviewed several statements from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ethics Committee under the International Human Genome Organization (HUGO).
The experts echoed the UNESCO and HUGO's principles that human genome is humanity's heritage and the pursuit of knowledge in the subject must adhere to international norms in human rights.
Documents from the UNESCO, WHO and HUGO's Ethics Committee discussed by Chinese experts included "Universal Declaration on Human Genome and Human Rights," "Statement on DNA sampling: control and access" and "Statement on cloning," according to Yang.
The scientist said he and his colleagues thought that human reproductive cloning should be banned in China for technological, social and ethical reasons.
Xu Jiujin, another scientist with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said China had asked for consent from every person concerned with its human genome research and the application of its results.
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