US Scientists Call for Ban on Genetically Engineering Humans

Report calls for no human trials of some types of gene research

WASHINGTON (AP) Attempting to change genes and create future
generations of perfect, healthy human beings is dangerous,
irresponsible and should not be permitted now, a panel of experts
says in a report.

A committee of the American Association for the Advancement of
Science, in a report issued Monday, called for the creation of a
public committee to monitor and oversee the increasingly
sophisticated research into genetic modification.

Much of the current research is concentrating on modifying the
genes to correct health problems in living humans. This is called
somatic gene modification and involves changing the genes in
existing mature cells.

But, the committee said, there is animal research in which there
is an alteration of genes that affect future generations. This is
called ``inheritable genetic modification,'' or IGM.

Applied to humans, IGM could, in theory, allow the production of
``designer children,'' or babies born with genes modified to make
them, and future generations taller, more athletic, more beautiful
or more intelligent. IGM could also be used to remove from a family
lineage the genes that cause inherited diseases.

Dr. Theodore Friedmann of the University of California, San
Diego, said that IGM technology now ``is not safe for humans.''
He said experiments have produced animals born with major birth
defects, gross physical distortions and fatal abnormalities. The
same thing, he said, could happen in humans if the current IGM
technology was applied.

Friedmann said reports of gene manipulation and cloning
experiments tend to concentrate on the successes. But behind each
triumph there can be scores of animals that were born with terrible
and usually lethal genetic problems. This, the committee said,
shows that the IGM research is not now safe to use on humans.
``In animal experiments, this technology has been highly
inefficient and not of proven safety,'' said Friedmann. ``There are
major technical barriers to using this technology in humans.''

Sondra Wheeler, a teacher at the Wesley Theological Seminary in
Washington, said permitting IGM research in humans also could be
socially disruptive. She said there is the possibility that genetic
changes that would produce healthier and improved children would be
available only to the wealthy.

``This would widen the gap between the 'haves' and the 'have
nots' to an unprecedented extent,'' the report said.
``There is a moral problem on the distribution of these
benefits,'' said Wheeler. ``Who gets it? Who decides? What
criterion do they apply?''

The committee report said a public committee should be organized
to monitor and oversee any IGM research on humans. The report
called for a public discussion to determine if Americans really
want to approve human IGM research.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science is the
world's largest federation of scientists, with more than 146,000
members. The AAAS publishes Science, one of the world's major,
peer-reviewed journals of general scientific research.
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AP-CS-09-18-00 1628EDT