A Note on the Human Genome Project

Abstract

This technical note provides information on the background of genetic testing and assists with the issues presented in the series of cases on genetic testing (see UVA-E-0191 through UVA-E-0203). Those cases present various vignettes, each depicting a specific dilemma about genetic testing and the ethical issues and difficult decisions that this testing presents to patients, doctors, employers, and employees.

Excerpt

UVA-E-0204

A NOTE ON THE HUMAN GENOME PROJECT

The Human Genome Project (HGP) has been the focus of heated controversy since it began in 1990. The very idea of identifying and classifying the biological material that determines who we are, how we look, feel, behave, etc., is daunting. Most recently we have witnessed serious debate on the social implications of cloning and the morality of Dr. Ian Wilmut, the Scottish scientist who duplicated the genetic material of a sheep named Dolly, giving rise to her genetic twin, without the use of a male counterpart. Public reaction has been largely negative, and critics are adamant that the technology will lead to human cloning, as in the recent movie Multiplicity. They argue that this application of the technology would be extremely unethical. The problems with the genetic mapping of human DNA (as undertaken by The Human Genome Project), however, go much further than just generating social and ethical quandaries, but also include political, economic, and legal ramifications. While human cloning is a long way off and will likely be banned before it is ever begun, there are many ethical issues with any sort of genetic profiling.

What is the Human Genome Project?

The planned 15-year joint venture between the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) began with a Memorandum of Understanding in October 1988. In 1989, The National Center for Human Genome Research (NCHGR) was established. Finally, in October of 1990, the $ 3 billion initiative funded by U.S. Congress and taxpayers, and entitled The Human Genome Project, was officially begun.

NIH and DOE set forth the following goals:

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Keywords: ethical issues, ethics, medical