Reactions to the Human Genome Project (HGP)
...From the Church
Source: Human Genome Cartoon. boydfuturist, 2011.
While the Catholic Church didn't make a formal statement about the HGP, the late Pope John Paul ll briefly commented that genetic medicine is acceptable to treat disease, but not to alter genes to create an ideal human being.
"...origin and foundation of absolute respect for human life are to be found in the dignity proper to the person and not simply in the natural inclination to preserve one’s own physical life.”
-- Pope John Paul II
Source: "The Catholic Moral Tradition and The Genome Project and Diversity Project." Life issues, 2002.
"...origin and foundation of absolute respect for human life are to be found in the dignity proper to the person and not simply in the natural inclination to preserve one’s own physical life.”
-- Pope John Paul II
Source: "The Catholic Moral Tradition and The Genome Project and Diversity Project." Life issues, 2002.
...From Scientists
Overall, scientists were enthusiastic about advancing science through the HGP. It gave them a chance to collaborate with other scientists worldwide as part of this unprecedented endeavor. But some scientists did not see the future value of this science and were concerned about how the cost of the project would impact their research.
Scientists Viewing Engineered Cartilage Integrated
Into Native Cartilage. NIH, June 25, 2007.
"Mapping the human genome has been compared with putting a man on the moon, but I believe it is more than that. This is the outstanding achievement not only of our lifetime, but in terms of human history. A few months ago I compared the project to the invention of the wheel. On reflection, it is more than that. I can well imagine technology making the wheel obsolete. But this code is the essence of mankind, and as long as humans exists, this code is going to be important and will be used."
— Thomas Michael (T. Michael) Dexter, English biochemist and director of the Wellcome Trust (1998-2003)
Source: "The first draft of the Book of Humankind has been read, Sanger Institute," 26 Jun 2000. On the Sanger Institute web site at www.sanger.ac.uk/HGP/draft2000/mainrelease.shtml