Facts of the story

On January 7th and 8th, 1999 there is a public conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bethesda on the subject of prenatal gene transfer. The conference is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, Office of Recombinant DNA. "The unspoken agenda is to prepare the public for a serious proposal by W. French Anderson to create the first genetically engineered human." Michael Phillips, social activist.

The background:

Definition: Cells are divided into two groups ... germline and somatic. Germline cells are all cells that carry DNA to the next generation, such as egg cells and sperm. All other cells are called somatic cells.

 

A conference was held at UCLA on March 20th, 1998 on the subject of "Engineering Human Germline". The conference was organized by Dr. Gregory Stock of UCLA as the first step in a campaign "to make it (germline engineering) acceptable" to the American people. (source:www.ess.ucla.edu:80/huge/report.html)

On July 31, 1998, W. French Anderson, MD of the University of Southern California and four other genetic researchers submitted a pre-proposal to the Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (called the RAC ) of the NIH for in utero transfer of DNA.

On September 24, 1998 in Washington DC, the RAC reviewed the Anderson proposal and heard public comments. The RAC announced plans to have a public discussion of this issue on January 7th and 8, 1999. ( RAC :301.496.9838, Debra Knorr Acting Director)

"The RAC has already made up its mind to allow the creation of the first genetically engineered human and the January conference is not in any way a public discussion." Michael Phillips, social activist.