NEWS STORY: Report Warns on Ethical Dangers of Gene Modification

c. 2000 Religion News Service WASHINGTON _ Like the residents of Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegon, many parents want their children to be “above average.” If they could, they’d design their offspring to be healthy, good-looking and intelligent. Such hopes were once relegated to science fiction. But advances in genetic technology have brought these fantasies closer […]

c. 2000 Religion News Service

WASHINGTON _ Like the residents of Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegon,

many parents want their children to be “above average.” If they could, they’d design their offspring to be healthy, good-looking and intelligent.


Such hopes were once relegated to science fiction. But advances in genetic technology have brought these fantasies closer to reality.

Currently, scientists are able to modify the genes of the offspring of some animals. Theoretically, this intervention could be used to alter genes in humans to produce healthier, smarter so-called “designer” children and eliminate genetic diseases.

But a report by the American Association for the Advancement of Science says it would be unsafe and ethically irresponsible to use the new technology on humans at this time. The report, “Human Inheritable Genetic Modifications: Assessing Scientific, Ethical, Religious and Policy Issues,” was released Sept. 18.

Most current research involves gene therapy, modifying the genes of an individual to treat a disease. This is known as “somatic genetic modification.” Modifying the genes of future generations is called “inheritable genetic modification” or IGM. The latter practice is what the AAAS panel of ethicists and scientists chiefly addressed.

“We’ve developed a series of genetic technologies without looking at the larger consequences for society,” said Audrey R. Chapman, director of AAAS’s program on Dialogue, Ethics and Religion. “The ability to remold the genetic heritage of children has potentially more implications than anything we have developed so far.”

It’s important to “stay ahead of the science” of this developing technology, Chapman said. “Debate on such an important topic can’t be left solely to experts. It needs public deliberation.”

Most religious traditions “accept the principle that we should do all we can to cure disease,” said the Rev. Albert S. Moraczeski, president emeritus of the National Catholic Bioethics Center. “There is no prohibition in the Roman Catholic Church against inherited genetic modification.”

Because IGM could be used to eliminate genetically inherited diseases such as cystic fibrosis or diabetes, the technology could alleviate suffering, Moraczeski said.


But he said he sees two problems with such technology. First, it would be very expensive. “As we already know from our health care system, it’s only the wealthy who get the most expensive care. Their insurance wouldn’t pay for the middle class to use IGM. And the poor would have no access to it.”

The second and more disturbing problem is the likelihood it would be used not only therapeutically _ to block illnesses in future generations _ but also for so-called “genetic enhancement,” Moraczeski said.

Parents would be able to modify the genes of their offspring so that their children could have more desirable traits such as increased intelligence, height or artistic ability.

“Only the privileged would be able to enhance their children’s genes,” Moraczeski said. “This would marginalize poor children. It reminds me of Aldous Huxley’s `Brave New World,’ where there were different classes of people _ the alphas, betas and gammas.”

Sondra Wheeler, professor of Christian ethics at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., agreed.

Only a small number of people would benefit from the therapeutic use of IGM, Wheeler said. “A much larger number of people could benefit from genetic enhancement. But, (drug) companies aren’t developing this technology to do good, they’re doing this to make a profit.”

Society needs to think about what impact IGM would have on the parent-child relationship, she said. “Christians, Muslims and Jews think of their children as standing beside them as equal creatures under God. If parents can control their children’s genes, what power does that give them? Will they use it justly?


“When you’re a parent, you love your children the way they are, whether or not they’re healthy, artistic, athletic or intelligent. How will IGM affect parents’ ability to nurture their children?”

Laurie Zoloth, chair of the Jewish Studies program in the College of Humanities at San Francisco State University, cautioned against “shutting out” IGM, which she said could be used for healing.

“Religious traditions are alert to the possibility that any type of medicine, including IGM, can be used for good or evil,” Zoloth said. That isn’t a reason “to turn away from a healing intervention.”

She noted that according to the biblical story, the Israelites “heard curses as well as blessings” on their journey to the Promised Land.

DEA END WOLFE

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