Interestingly, is it not true that one of the first applications of New
Genetics will be to drug response profiles (to determine responses to drugs
and anaesthetics by prior genetic screening?)
The genome debate is running but it is a slow burner. Despite the hoopla
the medical benefits won't appear overnight and a long term communication
strategy rather than just rapid press releases seems most sensible.
alastair philp
on 05-07-2000 9:21, R.W.D.Nickalls at [log in to unmask] wrote:
> Andy Boddington seems to be concerned that there is
> little or no debate regarding the new Genome info etc.
>
> Why? - the public are unlikely to understand to any significant
> depth anyway - just as they mostly don't understand anything about
> anaesthesia, or the implications of having an anaesthetic.
> The same principle applies - ie genome knowledge and
> associated technological advances will be both good and bad
> for most people under most circumstances, just as 150+ years after
> an equivalent leap forward in operation technology (ie discovery
> of anaesthesia 1842-46) is deemed good by most people,
> but is sometimes bad (for those who occasionally die etc).
> However the alternatives for civilisation of not using genome
> technology, or not having an anaesthetic for an operation, is
> pretty dismal. Civilisation advances by embracing new technology,
> and learning how to use it.
>
> In practice, therefore, it is not really public understanding which
> is so important, but that folks who answer questions on new technology
> give an honest appraisal of foreseeable risks in a way that
> *can* be understood.
>
> cheers,
> Dick
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> Dr RWD Nickalls
> Department of Anaesthesia,
> Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust,
> Hucknall Road,
> Nottingham, NG5-1PB,
> UK.
>
> email: [log in to unmask]
> --------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
-- From the alBook:
Alastair Valentine Philp
Telephone: +44 (0)131 229 7149 (home)
Telefax: + 44 (0) 87 0120 6253 (fax)
[log in to unmask];
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