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Implications
“... the Human Genome Project could easily be the
most important organized scientific effort of mankind.”
say M.R.C. Greenwood and Rachel E. Levinson in their
article, “Expanding the Horizons of Biotechnology
in the Twenty-First Century.” On one hand, the project
involves so many people, and not only geneticists;
rather the Human Genome Project relies on all scientific
and technological backgrounds from physics and chemistry
to engineering and robotics to computer science.
Even sociologists, ethicists, and theologians are
involved. Never before in the history of humanity
have so many professionals united under a single
scientific endeavor. The project’s medical benefits
are astounding as well. As each new gene is isolated,
examined, and identified, we learn more and more
about the human body and how it works on the microscopic
and genetic levels. Diseases are more easily diagnosed.
Sometimes, even before symptoms appear, doctors
can identify at-risk patients simply by examining
their genes. Gene therapy, correcting diseases via
genetic engineering, can also cure more diseases
now that more disease-causing genes have been located.
In some cases, doctors no longer need to perform
surgery; instead they can solve the problem by merely
introducing healthy DNA.
Costs
The estimated total cost of the Human Genome Project
is a staggering $3 billion. Why does it cost so
much? Well, consider all of the people and equipment
involved: computers are needed to store the data;
technicians are needed to maintain the computers,
geneticists are needed to map the genome; laboratory
equipment is required, and so forth. The US government
provides most of the funds (other funds coming from
big companies and other countries). In 1995, President
Clinton proposed to Congress that $241 million be
budgeted to the National Institute of Health and
the Department of Energy who head the project (this
amount includes money for actual research, not employee
salaries). This amount is nearly $42 million more
than the amount spent in 1994 and $171 million more
than the amount in 1993. The project is clearly
growing and demanding more attention.
The project is also attracting the attention of
those in the business sector. Each year, many new
biomed companies emerge, hoping to capitalize from
the new research.
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