Domestic and international data protection issues : possible uses and misuses of genetic infomation : public hearing.

  • United States. Congress. House. Committee on Government Operations. Government Information, Justice, and Agriculture Subcommittee.
Date:
[1991]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Domestic and international data protection issues : possible uses and misuses of genetic infomation : public hearing. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    NAZI GERMANY, WHERE HITLER*®S “EFFORTS TO’ CREATE!A’ RACE’ OF PURE “ARYANS; RESUBTED INS THE] MURDERSOF-_SIXSMELLION JEWS: =~ ON ©THE! LATE-l940 *S, “THESUNTTED STATES AIR FOREE DENTED BLACKS WHO TESTED POSITIVE FOR SICKLE CELL ANEMIA THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME PILOTS -- THIS PRACTICE ENDED ONLY AFTER A FEDERAL LAWSUIT WAS BROUGHT. -- A SURVEY BY THE OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT FOUND THAT 20 FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES HAD SOME FORM OF GENETIC SCREENING OF THEIR EMPLOYEES IN THE PAST 20 YEARS. GIVEN THIS HISTORY, PUBLIC RELEASE OF PEOPLE'S GENETIC INFORMATION I8 A ''PANDORA'S BOX THAT IS BEST LEFT UNOPENED. IT IS POSSIBLE, THOUGH, THAT IN THE FUTURE GENETICS MAY BE SEEN AS A GREAT EQUALIZER -- NOBODY IS PERFECT AND EVERYONE HAS DEFECTS -- AND EVERYONE WILL UNDERSTAND THEY SUFFER FROM DISEASES AND BURDENS WHICH ARE DETERMINED BY THEIR GENES. ONE OF OUR GREATEST CHALLENGES WILL BE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THE TRUE NATURE OF GENETIC INFORMATION, SO THAT IT DOES NOT BECOME THE BASIS FOR RACIAL HATRED AND DISCRIMINATION.