For more than a decade, scientists collaborated in a massive, worldwide research endeavour to decipher the genetic code that controls the creation and development of human life. The Human Genome Project (hgp) produced the first map of this code in 2003, ostensibly revealing the very mysteries of creation itself. Indeed, some scientists claim that this knowledge is the key to enter a biological utopia where science is capable of manipulating human life, curing disease and perhaps even conquering death itself.
The discovery was one giant step forward for science, but there remains tremendous uncertainty as to whether it represents a step forward for mankind. The goal of healing and even eliminating disease has positive implications, but as society gains more knowledge about how that is accomplished, it is evident that we are unprepared to deal with the ethical, medical, legal and societal issues that represent the inevitable consequences of genetic technology.
One question lies at the core of all these issues:
How will the power to manipulate the human genome affect our respect for human life, including our attitudes toward, and support for, those who are born with genetic anomalies that lead to diseases and disabilities?
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