Ethical issues in human genome studies were heatedly discussed
Saturday by experts from home and abroad in an open forum prior to
the seventh
Human Genome
Meeting (HGM) which opened in Shanghai on Sunday.
Bartha Knoppers, chairperson of the International Ethics Committee
of the Human Genome
Organization said heated discussions on the human genome
studies always took place before the formal convening of the annual
conference.
This year, the ethical aspects of human cloning were the major
topic.
She said that her committee always committed itself to work out an
ethical framework for future human genome research, because there
were not enough ethics guidelines and criteria to direct research
on human genomes.
Hu
Qingli, a Chinese expert with 20-odd years experience in the World Health Organization (WHO) said
that genome research plays a vital role in human health, because
scientists had found more than 5,000 diseases had a direct bearing
on transmitted genes.
At
the same time, gene research involved many racial issues, therefore
ethics experts should participate in the research too.
Qiu Renzong, professor with the Chinese Academy of
Social Sciences, said that with the rapid development of life
sciences and biological technologies, ethical puzzles often
occurred.
Therefore, only after ethical regulations were completed, could the
development of biological technologies go more smoothly, he
added.
All the experts who attended the forum reached consensus that gene
research was important, but without accurate ethical direction, it
could go down the wrong road.
Ole Doering, professor with the German Institute of Asian Affairs,
said that different countries had different understandings of
ethical issues in life sciences due to their different cultural,
historical and religious backgrounds.
Therefore, the countries should outline their criteria for gene
research with full consideration of their own situations.
The WHO is to release a new book, titled "Genetics and World
Health" on April 27, giving ethical regulations to direct future
genome studies.
(Xinhua News
Agency April 15, 2002)