The Implications of Human Reproductive Cloning and Germ Line Alteration for Women and Women's Health: Ten Mis-Conceptions

continued

ENDNOTES

ⁱ This paper was first presented on February 3, 2001 at the meeting in San Francisco, California on human genetic manipulation and its implications for women and women's organizations co-sponsored by The Exploratory Initiative on the New Human Genetic Technologies and the Boston Women's Health Book Collective.

ⁱⁱ Founded in 1975, The National Women's Health Network's mission is to advocate for national policies that protect and promote all women's health and to provide evidence-based, independent information to empower women to make fully informed decisions. To accomplish this mission, we: A) Act as an independent voice for women's health by accepting no money from companies that sell pharmaceuticals, medical devices, dietary supplements, alcohol, tobacco, or health insurance; B) Represent and are supported by our individual and organizational members; C) Research and analyze women's health issues from a feminist, critical perspective free from the influence of corporate interests; D) Create and disseminate evidence-based information on women's health issues to consumers, advocates, health care professionals, media and policy makers; E) Monitor and educate Congress and federal agencies to ensure that laws and policies as well as, research and regulatory decision-making reflect the interests of all women; F) Monitor information provided by companies that sell or promote pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and dietary supplements; link activists and community groups nationwide; and, G) Address the interconnections of health and social, racial, economic, and gender equity. The Black Women's Health Project, founded in 1981 by Byllye Avery, is another very important health resource serving the health needs of black women in the United States.

ⁱⁱⁱ I have published various papers and chapters on this subject. For examples, see "Social and Ethical Implications of In Vitro Fertilization in Contemporary China" in Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, 1995, Vol 4, pages 355-363; "The Consequences of Modernity for Childless Women in Contemporary China" in Pragmatic Women and Body Politics; Margaret Lock and Patricia A. Kaufert, eds., U.K.: Cambridge University Press, February 1998; and "The Politics of Baby-Making in Modern China: Reproductive Technologies and the New Eugenics" in Infertility Around the Globe: New Thinking on Childlessness, Gender, and New Reproductive Technologies, Marcia C. Inhorn and Frank van Balen, eds.. Berkeley: UC Press, Forthcoming 2001.

^iv The Exploratory Initiative on the New Human Genetic Technologies, a fiscally sponsored organization, was founded in 2000 by Rich Hayes, coordinator, along with Marcy Darnovsky. I want to thank Rich Hayes and Marcy Darnovsky for the opportunity to explore my interest in the relationship between women's health and human genetic manipulation as a consultant during the summer of 2000. To contact the Exploratory Initiative email rhayes@publicmediacenter.org. Rich Hayes has written numerous publications on this subject including "Notes On the New Initiative for Human Germline Genetic Engineering", December 1998. To receive the Genetic Crossroads Newsletter contact Marcy Darnovsky by email: teel@adax.com.

^v The Boston Women's Health Book Collective (BWHBC), with the first group of women convening in 1969, is a nonprofit organization devoted to education about women and health. It supports women questioning their medical care and demanding women-specific health information. One of their first publications, Our Bodies, Our Selves, is still one of the best books on women's health available today. BWHBC website is http://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/.

^vi Article in Los Angeles Times by Aaron Zitner, Jan 28, 2001

^viii See definitions and diagrams by Rich Hayes in publications available from the Exploratory Initiative.

^ix "Preimplantation Genetic Testing" by Christina Shasserre, M.S. on the INCIID web page at www.inciid.org/preimplantation-gentics.html.

^x Council for Responsible Genetics (CRG), located in Cambridge, Massachusetts has been a forerunner of important policy statements on genetics and social responsibility. CRG publishes a newsletter called Genewatch. For additional information call (617) 868-0870.

^xi Exploding the Gene Myth by Ruth Hubbard and ElijahWald. Boston: Beacon Press, 1997.

^xii Genes, Women and Equality by Mary Briody. New York: Oxford University Press., 2000, p. 32).

^xiii Nearly A Failing Grade: A Report Card on the Health Status of Women and Girls in California. CA: The Women's Foundation, January 2001.

^xiv "Italian, US Scientists Unveil Human Cloning Effort" by Andrew Stern, January 26, 2001; See www.Daily News.yahoo.com/h/n/m/20010126/cloning_dc_1.html.."

^xv Interview conducted on "Cloning Babies: It is Only a Matter of Time." Peter Jennings, World News, ABC, Channel 7, February 13, 2001.

^xvi "Italian, U.S. Scientists Unveil Human Cloning Effort" by Andrew Stern, Daily News, Jan 26, 2001.

^xvii Quote in "A Desire to Duplicate" by Margaret Talbot. In The New York Times Magazine Section 6, February 4, 2001, p.45.

^xviii BBC: http://news/bbc.co.uk/hi/English/sci/tech/newsid_11440001/114694.stm."

^xix "Human Cloning Bid Stirs Experts' Anger" in the Washington Post, March 7, 2001. See http://washingtonpost.com/wp.-dyn/articles/A31014-2001March6.html.

^xx "Fertility Docs Plans to Clone Humans" by Aaraon Zitner. In the Nation, Jan 2, 2001."

^xxi See Beyond Second Opinions: Making Choices about Fertility Treatment. By Judith Turiel. Berkeley: UC Press, 1998. In her book Judith Turkiel, a health activist and a veteran of fertility treatments, sheds light on many fertility treatments and studies.

^xxii Rich Hayes first brought these concerns to my attention at a groundbreaking meeting on human cloning in early 2000.

^xxiii Marsha Saxton, a researcher at the World Institute on Disability (WID) and Debra Kaplan have written and spoken extensively on this subject. Also, see publications by Gregor Wolbring including Science and the Disadvantaged published by the Edmonds Institute in Canada, 2000.

^xxiv UPI Science News Jan 28, 2001

^xxv "Race and the New Reproduction" by Dorothy E. Roberts in GeneWatch, Vol. 14, No. 1, January 2001.

^xxvi Marcy Darnovsky, a staff member of The Exploratory Initiative on New Human Genetic Technologies, is interested in and written about the impact on these technologies on children including issues about "designer babies". She can be contacted at teel@adax.com.

^xxvii Diane Beeson organized a meeting at her home in 1999 to discuss these issues. It was attended mainly by health professionals and educators including sociologists, anthropologists, a medical pediatrician, geneticists, psychologists and researchers.

^xxviii Diane Beeson made an interesting point at the meeting in her home. She said an irony of human cloning, if it happens, is that it may finally disprove biological determinist theories. It will become clear that a clone, while s/he may look alike, will never be the exact same person because of environmental influences and cultural experiences.

^xxix Some Choice: Law, Medicine and the Market by George Annas. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998, pages 12-13.

^xxx "A Desire to Duplicate" by Margaret Talbot. In The New York Times Magazine section, Feb 4, 2001, Section 6, p. 40-45, continued on p 67. This article is based on Margaret Talbot's research project on the Raelians, science loving alien-fixated sect, for whom cloning is a central tenet and are eager to put its faith into action.

^xxxi Contact Marcy Darnovsky at teel@adax.com for additional information.

^xxxi Again, see publications by Marsha Saxton, a researcher at the World Institute on Disability (WID) and Debra Kaplan. Also, see publications by Gregor Wolbring including Science and the Disadvantaged published by the Edmonds Institute in Canada, 2000.

^xxxiii "The Genetic Report Card" in The New York Times Magazine Section, 1999

^xxxiv UPI Science News January 28, 2001.

^xxxv See Rich Hayes, "Appendix D. "Reproductive Human Cloning: Key Arguments". For publications contact him at teel@adax.com.

^xxxvi Unzipped Genes: Taking Charge of Baby-making in the New Millennium. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1997. By Martine Rothblatt.

^xxxvii Genes, Women and Equality by Mary Briody Mahowald. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.

^xxxviii Interestingly, during the Miss USA Pageant 2001 broadcast on CBS television on March 2 the top three contestants, Miss Texas, Miss District of Columbia, and Miss Georgia, were asked their final question on human reproductive cloning. The final celebrity judges, including Martha Stewart, listened intently as the three finalists were asked, 'many things which were once science fiction have now become science fact. What do you think of human reproductive cloning and should it be permitted?' During the Miss USA contest where female contestants represent, according to some, the ultimate symbol of liberty and democracy, the three finalists expressed opposition to human reproductive cloning. Feminist libertarians would argue that the finalists beliefs are paradoxical as they are in opposition to democratic principles. One contestant stated that while she opposed the cloning of human beings, she would support organ cloning. Another contestant argued against human reproductive cloning on moral grounds. And the third contestant, Miss Texas, who won the Miss USA 2001 title, said that she had read a lot about the subject since it had been in the news lately and she was strongly opposed to human reproductive cloning. She felt this procedure was against human nature. Another interesting note is that Miss Texas will devote her reign to campaigning for early detection and treatment of breast and ovarian cancer. I wonder what she thinks about genetic screening for these diseases.

^xxxix Quote in "A Desire to Duplicate" by Margaret Talbot. In The New York Times Magazine Section 6, February 4, 2001, p.42.

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