The Biotechnology / Ethics INterest Group presents ...
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On Tuesday 8 October, Norman Swan from the ABC hosted a hypothetical entitled Going for Gold at The University of Queensland in Brisbane. More than 450 guests were guided through an info-maze of twists and turns to explore the issues arising from new reproductive technologies and the new genetics. A panel of experts was assembled for the event – Loane Skene, Bob Williamson, Christopher Newell, Bill Uren, Peter Devine and ABC Science guru, Bernie Hobbs.
The story line … ...
in the not-so-distant future the staff and clients of the recently
opened Sir John of the Howard Institute for Genetic Medicine become the
focus of much attention. The Institute has rapidly become the source of
media controversy due to the range of prenatal and preimplantation genetic
testing schedules that it offers to the public. These test schedules range
from the Bronze, which is covered by Medicare and involves tests for serious
genetic conditions, to the Gold, which involves an upfront fee of $150,000
and includes tests for complex behavioural characteristics. The hypothetical
followed the story of the Institute’s first client, Micky Fodor,
from the ethical dilemmas surrounding his prenatal testing at the Institute,
to his debut as an Olympic swimmer endowed with athletically advantageous
genes (Hence the event’s title 'Going for Gold'!). Micky’s
swimming prowess raises the interest of the media and he becomes the focus
of an investigative journalist’s attention. In her quest for ‘the
truth’ behind Micky’s genetic inheritance, the journalist
unearths some skeletons in the Fodor’s closet that raise ethical,
legal and scientific issues for the Institute’s staff and society
as a whole.
Find out more about Norman Swan and the panel - click here
What is the Biotechnology / Ethics INterest Group? - click here
Sponsors - click herehhh
If you would like more information please contact Angela Wallace
Office of Public Policy and Ethics
Insitute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland
St Lucia Australia 4072
Telephone: 61 7 3346 9271 or 61 7 3346 2152
Fax: 61 7 3365 4388
E-mail: a.wallace@imb.uq.edu.au
Contact webmaster: oppe@uq.edu.au
Last updated: 23 March
2002