Gene project potentially destructive to human life

"The Human Gene Project must not be used in any way to discriminate against or to destroy human life," said Father Joseph Howard, director of the American Bioethics Advisory Commission (ABAC), in response to President Clinton's support today for the Human Genome Project.

"While the Human Genome Project aims at providing a map which sequences all DNA contained within 46 human chromosomes, and may provide the potential to correct abnormal DNA sequences which would remedy disease, of grave concern is the question of who would have access to a person's DNA profile and potential misuse of the profile.

"For example, it has become common malpractice to generate human embryos by in vitro fertilization (IVF), and test them immediately for abnormal genes. Once found and tested, these human beings are destroyed. There is the real concern of misusing science to generate 'designer babies' with preferred genetic traits. This unseemly practice of eugenics is gravely immoral since it fails to show unconditional respect for all human life without exception,” Father Howard concluded.