Expert warns of utilitarian outcome of human genome project

"Despite the claimed good of the Human Genome Project, President Clinton, in his endorsement of the project, has failed to warn America of any of its likely misuses," said Father Joseph Howard, director of the American Bioethics Advisory Commission, adding that one alarming concern of the Human Genome Project is utilitarian goals derived from misguided notions of "quality of life."

"Utilitarianism is a frequent form of faulty moral reasoning in our culture," Father Howard said. "The American Bioethics Advisory Commission has reason to fear discrimination through misuse of information derived from a person's DNA profile - their genome.

"In vitro fertilization is currently being used to generate human embryos, search for 'defective' genes, and destroy any such embryos. Because of uninformed and subjective notions about 'quality of life,' personal genetic information could be easily be misused in areas of health care, care of the handicapped and the elderly as well."

"Millions of Americans have no health care coverage at present. These people could face devastating personal consequences from being denied coverage because of information derived from their genetic profile. We have seen discrimination against the handicapped. The same information could be used to 'justify' the myth that the lives of some seriously handicapped citizens are not worth living, and many could be deprived of care that is by no means extraordinary. This discrimination could also be extended to the elderly, in the form of state-mandated euthanasia.

"Utilitarianism, aimed at misdirected notions of 'quality of life,' could be the outcome of the Human Genome Project," Father Howard said. "Such an outcome fails to respect the absolute, unconditional right to life of every human person from fertilization to natural death, without exception. In fact, this invariably will be the case, given our culture's ongoing attack on human life. Laws will likely be needed to prohibit genetic discrimination resulting from unethical application of information obtained through the Human Genome Project."