The Hindu : `Ethical questions should not hamper genetic research'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 12, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

`Ethical questions should not hamper genetic research'

By Our Staff Reporter

Chennai Jan. 11. Though ethical questions are dogging genetic research, they should not put scientists off the pursuit of laudable goals the study of genes has set itself, Nick Wood, professor of Clinical Neurology and neuro Genetics, University of London, said today.

Genetics was a hugely powerful tool with a massive potential and as was likely in such cases, it could be put to alternative uses. "We must converse with the public and inform them of the progress in the sector from time to time. We must be sensitive to their concerns."

Prof. Wood was delivering the 17th K. Gopalakrishna Endowment Oration, organised by the Chathnath Trust and the K. Gopalakrishna Department of Neurology, VHS, on `How genetic research is changing modern neurology'.

Highlighting the vast improvements gene research could bring to the treatment, Prof. Wood also dwelt on the `clinical' and `social' issues that were an essential part of the puzzle.

A U.K.-Government initiative to consult the public on these issues revealed that people were concerned with possible `selective breeding', privacy issues, DNA finger printing and even expressed strong feelings about whether nature was being tampered with. About 1,300 persons responded to a series of questions in the study conducted by the government.

"Genetic diagnosis is definitely going to be useful," he said. Though it would initially be expensive, it merely paled into insignificance, considering the long-term implications and other costs, he said. Practically, doctors would have to examine the right ways of informing patients and their families of the relevance and implications of the genetic test and results, as these revelations were likely to have a far-reaching impact on decisions that patients made.

In pre-symptomatic testing, genetic counselling played an important part. It was essential to provide right disease information, as questions relating to medical insurance, living with the bad news and `survivor effect' were bound to arise. However, DNA diagnosis was here to stay, especially in predicting drug responsiveness among patients. "We need not waste time prescribing drugs that will not work. Eventually, we will be duty bound to do that genetic test before giving drugs. It will happen to a whole range of drugs."

Earlier, Prof. Wood briefly examined the results of genetic research in Parkinson's Disease and took the audience through how far the Human Genome Matching Project had come since it was sequenced two years ago. "It is just a code, but one without which we cannot hope to understand biology. It is like the periodic table of biology."

S.Muthukrishnan, chairman, UCAL Group, and kin of K. Gopalakrishna, in whose memory the oration was instituted, recalled the origins of the family's association with the department.

The family looked forward to many more years of active collaboration with the VHS.

TheVHS chairman, N.S. Murali, said the aim was to take health to the doorsteps of people, into urban and rural communities. Krishnamoorthy Srinivas, chairman, K. Gopalakrishna Department of Neurology, VHS Medical Centre, introduced Prof. Nick Wood.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Goodall anguished at ill-treatment of chimps

`Ethical questions should not hamper genetic research'

Krishna water for Chennai likely by July

Power cuts frequent at Chromepet, Pallavaram, say residents

Shortfall in bulk LPG leads to refills delay

Parking lot owners fined