The Human Genome Project

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The Human Genome Project

• By Colleen Crowley

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The Main Issues

• What is the Human Genome Project
• The Controversy
• The Benefits
• Recommendations

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What is the Human Genome Project?

• Started in 1990
• research began in 1972
• 4 billion dollar program
• International effort
• Department of Energy
• National Institute of Health
• Universities
• Laboratories
• Predicted to finish in 2003

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The Goals of the Project

• Identify all the 100,000 genes in human DNA
• Determine the sequence of the 3 billion chemical
  base pairs that make up human DNA
• Store information in databases
• Develop tools for data analysis
• Transfer related technology to the private sector
• Address ethical, legal, and social issues

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Why?

• Better understand diseases
• Learn how the body works
• Preventive strategies for medicine

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Progress

• Half the genome has been mapped
• 3.1 billion bases of DNA total
• 100,000 human genes
• Finish in 2003
• due to technological advances

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Definitions

• Human Genome
• the sum of human genetic material
• DNA
• carries the genetic info in cells
• Chromosomes
• a strand of DNA that carries genes

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The Controversy

• Concerns
• bio-ethical
• political
• moral
• Insurance companies
• Medical professionals

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Source DOE Human Genome Program,
http//www.ornl.gov
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Fairness and Privacy

• Who should have access to ones genetic
  information?
• How should it be used?
• Who owns and controls it?
• Consider these would be owners
• insurers, employers, courts, schools, military,
  adoption agencies

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Insurance Company

• If a higher risk of genetic disease
• Disclose
• deny coverage
• pay higher premiums
• affect family members
• Do not disclose
• increase costs for insurance company

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Example

• Tests used for risk classification now
• Nicotine tests
• PSA markers for prostate cancer
• Is it different for
• Huntington Disease
• Disclosure of info affects family also
• Denial of coverage until age 50

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RESULTS IN...

• Genetic Discrimination
• discrimination against otherwise a healthy
  individual on the basis of a genetic abnormality
• Creating a Genetic Underclass
• genetically inclined to certain diseases that
  could stereotype races, cultures, or families

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Benefits

• 500 genetic tests
• study families in clinics
• predisposition to diseases
• difference between healthy and ill
• 50 tests performed in clinics

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More Benefits

• Finds the misspellings in sequences of DNA
• Which identifies genes
• Breast cancer
• Parkinson Disease
• Kidney Disease
• Deafness
• Rational drug design
• Better organ replacement

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Advancement

• Reduce costs for research
• 2 to 0.10 for a bit of DNA research
• Technology advances
• DNA Probe Test
• finds DNA that causes disease
• Chlamydia, Tuberculosis

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Regulation

• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
  Act
• 1996
• forbids denial of coverage based on genetic
  information

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Recommendations

• Prohibit Insurance Companies
• using genetic info for risk classification
• denial of coverage
• Educate
• prevent genetic discrimination
• a blueprint of how we work
• about individual and family background
• Laws and Regulations

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O V E R V I E W

• Controversy
• who should have access
• ethical, legal, social concerns
• Benefits
• preventive medicine
• tests for diseases
• Recommendations
• Laws and regulations
• education

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R E M E M B E R

• DO YOU WANT SOMEONE TO KNOW YOUR GENETIC
  BLUE PRINT OF HOW YOU WORK?

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!
AND A GREAT NEW YEAR - 2001!