The Human Genome Project

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The Human Genome Project

On the brink of the 21st century, genetics is paving the way into a brave, new world where the discoveries being made will bestow upon us tremendous powers and possibilities that are restricted only by our imaginations. Many things long considered "science fiction" are well on their way to becoming reality. Advancements made by the Human Genome Project give us the ability to alter our own destinies along with those of our descendents. However, along with the benefits of increased control over our lives come the uncertainties: Will humankind choose to draw boundaries in regards to genetic choices? Where will those boundaries be? How will this affect our future? Could our deepened knowledge of the power of genetics threaten the biodiversity essential to evolution? Would we, in essence, be "playing God"? One thing is certain- life, as we know it, will never be the same (Rayl, 112).

Before one can speculate intellectually about the benefits and uncertainties of genetic study, it is important to understand how we, as humankind, have reached this breaking point of science. The HGP began in 1990 as a 15-year project coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health. It is expected to be complete by 2003, two years ahead of schedule, due to rapid technological advances. The overall goals of this project are to catalog the estimated 80,000- 100,000 genes in the human DNA and to determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical bases that make up the human DNA. This new information will then be stored in databases, as geneticists then develop tools for its analysis. Finally, the HGP is to address the ethical, legal, and social issues that may arise from the genetic research (...

... middle of paper ...

...ty, must agree upon a set of rules and standards that will govern the ethical, legal, and social issues surrounding the final outcome of the project. Clearly, we must do it quickly.

References

1- Rayl, A.J.S., et al. "Genetics in the New Millennium." MINNESOTA MONTHLY. Aug., 1999:112- 124.

2- Human Genome Project Information. Obtained 20 Oct., 1999: http://www.ornl.gov/hgmis.

3- "The Future is Now." TIME magazine international. 8 Feb., 1999:VOL. 153 NO. 5. Obtained 20 Oct., 1999:

http://www.pathfinder.com/time/magazine/articles/0,3266,20825,00.html.

4- Associated Press. "Unregulated gene testing can be faulty." Star Tribune. 21 Sept., 1999.

5- Holtzman, Neil and Shapiro, David, et al. "Genetic Testing and Public Policy." British Medical Journal. 14 March, 1998: 316(7134). Obtained 17 Nov., 1999: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/316/7134/852.

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