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BULLETIN #4
March 6, 2002

Update on Recent Activities of the CENTER FOR GENETICS AND SOCIETY

Dear Friends,

Concern over human cloning and inheritable genetic modification continues to accelerate. Over the past few weeks the Center for Genetics and Society has played key roles in a number of important developments, as noted below.

In the next few weeks there will be more from CGS, including the launch of our website. You can preview the home page and tables of contents at <http://www.genetics-and-society.org/analysis/index.html>. Expect your next issue of Genetic Crossroads soon.

This is still just the beginning of what is sure to be one of the most intense social and political engagements of all time. We look forward to working with all of you to protect our common human future.

Recent Developments Involving the Center for Genetics and Society:

1. Briefing for United Nations Cloning Treaty Delegates: Last Tuesday, February 26, CGS organized a briefing in New York City for delegates to the United Nations committee that is beginning work to negotiate a treaty banning human reproductive cloning. We had been told to expect a turnout of 30-50 but over 120 showed.

2. Success! In December CGS and other groups organized a sign-on letter protesting the statement by John Robertson, acting chair of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s Ethics Committee, that sex selection for “gender variety” was now “ethically acceptable.” In February the ASRM repudiated Robertson’s statement and said that sex selection for any reasons other than disease prevention should be discouraged. See the letter and more at <http://www.genetics-and-society.org/new.html>.

3. Our first report “The New Technologies of Human Genetic Modification: A Threshold Challenge for Humanity” is available at <http://www.genetics-and-society.org/resources/cgs/newtechs.pdf> in PDF format.

4. Breakthrough News Analysis On Sunday, February 8 the Washington Post ran an important analysis of the controversy over cloning legislation in the U.S. Congress. The analysis reviewed favorably the position that CGS has taken the lead in promoting: a ban on reproductive cloning and a moratorium on research cloning. See the story at <http://www.genetics-and-society.org/resources/items/20020220_washpost_weiss.html>.

All this is happening as the U.S. Senate approaches a vote on human cloning legislation within the next few weeks. Positions are polarized and the outcome is too close to call. Whichever way the vote goes, the work of educating and mobilizing Americans and others concerning dangerous applications of the new human genetic technologies will have only begun.


More Information

Analysis: Examine the social, cultural, and economic landscape

Perspectives: Explore various communities' concerns regarding human genetic technologies

Policies: Read about existing and potential regulations

Technologies: Learn the basic science and consider arguments for and against