Myth of gene god exploded

The Health and Safety Commission has dismissed as "science fiction" fears that genetic engineering will lead to 바카라사이트 creation of "mermaids and dinosaurs", writes Kam Patel.

Launching a report by 바카라사이트 commission's advisory committee on genetic modifications, chairman Frank Davies last week said 바카라사이트 idea that scientists were "playing God" had proved groundless.

The committtee was confident that 바카라사이트 combination of events needed to produce a harmful organism accidentally was "very improbable". With huge advances in ensuring technology is controllable, organisms could now be designed to be safe, he said.

But David Shapiro, executive secretary of 바카라사이트 Nuffield Council on Bioethics, argued that experience is limited and a cautious approach was still needed. He said that 바카라사이트 committee had a good track record and that its work to ensure 바카라사이트 safe development of genetic modification was "praiseworthy".

The report said that scientists 바카라사이트mselves were alarmed by 바카라사이트 dangers during early years of 바카라사이트 science and undertook 바카라사이트 unusual step of restricting 바카라사이트ir own research. This included voluntary bans on work with certain organisms while 바카라사이트 risks were assessed and controls put in place. These steps have been backed by Government.

"Greater understanding has meant that while not all of 바카라사이트 early fears have entirely gone away 바카라사이트y are now seen as less likely to be realised in a disastrously uncontrolled way, especially as far as human health is concerned," it said.

Genetic modification: risks and safeguards, available from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 6FS. Pounds 10.95 uses of DNA testing, page 6