Mapping the human genome - best thing since sliced bread?

[bob]

This topic belongs in think tank.


Some say that it tops the moon landing and splitting the atom.

I am quite undecided as to the scope - but do admit the possibilites are stagering.

How can these new concepts be explained to those who do not concentrate on scientific matters.

Wow - the Mars meitorite could have had Mars life and this would still be a contender ---.

To much new facts ---to fast ----

Hope they did not use Abby Normal to map the genomes.

[Byte 2.0]

Like all great things, it will be used to make some people rich.

However the possiblities of curing people is the greatest thing that I see that can come from this.

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[This message has been edited by byte (edited 06-27-2000).]

[mbossman2]

How this information will be used concerns me the most.

Will your genome be held against you? Will medical/health decisions be made based on that information?

Who will have access to this information?

Will this test be similar to drug tests in today's job market?

Will insurance companies require this prior to writing a policy?

[Toaster]

Next thing will be your SSN# tatoo`d on ya to make ID`s. Hey, worked for hitler!
Now we can go to the local supermarket to get "scanned" and get info WE didn`t know existed.
Some one somewhere will benifit from this, monitarily i`m sure.

[StuartW]

What I find sad about this extremely important discovery, is the split in the Human Genome Project. Dr. Venter has broken away and set up his own company,Celera Genomics, with the aim of selling the data to pharmaceutical companies. Meanwhile, the Cambridge,England half of the team, think it is too important a discovery, and have taken to publishing the data daily on the internet.
The discovery could lead to the cure of many types of illness.
What would be done, is to isolate a beneficial gene, and introduce it into the nucleus of a virus. The virus is made harmless by the removal of its own DNA. By injecting a culture of this doctored virus into the patient, the virus would latch on to a targeted human cell, imposing the healthy gene, and destroying the damaged ones.Thus the development of the disease is halted.
The problem is that it would take Pharmaceutical Company money to develop,meaning the end treatment would only be affordable by the rich.I think it is time Government took over the funding, and distributed the treatment free.No one should have to suffer,or die because they lack money.