Imagine that an enormous space-traveling rocket was under construction in Florida. Books and articles described the selection of the crew, the construction problems, and the likely cost. However, little attention was paid to its destination or mission after it arrived. This was not what happened, of course, when the Apollo project landed men on the moon for the first time. This analogy works very well in describing another large government-funded effort that is taking place in a different area today: the attempt to read the entire genetic DNA text of billions of characters that describes the heredity of a typical human being. This undertaking has been named the Human Genome Project.

This project is intended to teach scientists how the human body operates on its most basic level. With this knowledge comes a barrage of ethical, legal, and social implications that must be considered. James Watson, while head of the project, appropriated 3 percent of the projects funding for the study of these implications (Cook-Deegan 237). Although much information is being generated through this appropriation, it is surely not enough. It is thought that ethical guidelines must be d

An additional controversy that has surfaced with the prospect of sex cell alteration is that of eugenics, which is the specific tailoring of the human gene. This ability to manipulate genes for medical purposes could lead to other applications. One of the most feared applications is that of the "improvement" of the human gene. Traits such as intelligence, physical prowess, character, and even ethnic type could be altered some day (Gorner 2). The most prospective utilization of eugenics is the possibility to eliminate disabilities from the gene. A body of thought does exist although, that believes that disabilities should not be avoided but rather accepted as a part of nature. "We are not really willing to confront disability," says Mary Johnson, editor of The Disabilities Rag, "What we really want is fewer and fewer disabled people. That is what really worries me" (Shapiro 160).

As genetic research progresses tests will be developed to predict genetic diseases long before they can be cured. One problem that this presents is the end of health and life insurance as we know it. Insurance is designed to share costs in a manner that is proportional to risk. Smokers, pilots of private aircraft, and members of other risk groups

In all of humanity's past experience, living things enjoyed a separate, unique, and identifiable place in the order of things. There were always rabbits and robins, oaks and ostriches, and while human beings could tinker with the surface of each, they couldn't penetrate into the interior of any. Now, as we move from the age of pyrotechnology to the age of biotechnology, people are beginning to learn how to reorganize living things from the inside out . . . [This marks] a qualitative break with man's entire past relation with the living world (Shapiro 160-1).

pay increased premiums to share these costs, and a concern arises as to how insurance companies will react to genetic testing (Shapiro 172). No test can be 100 percent accurate, but what insurance company would want to insure a client whose genetic makeup indicates the chance of developing debilitating diseases that would require extended medical stays? It has been suggested that programs be established outside of regular insurance to shield victims of genetically traceable disease form medical costs. Ultimately, society must create a balance between cost and compassion where both the genetically healthy and the sick can coexist (Shapiro 172).

Although the Human Genome Project will present society with a wonderful gift to fight the genetic diseases that kill and cripple us in today's day and age, we must be very sure that we establish a firm ethical outline on which to base this gift. If we do not, we could be gift wrapping a Pandora's Box for the 21st century.

Quality- Finally, genetic testing requires accredited

Some common words found in the essay are:
Jeremy Rifkin, Genome Project, Human Services, Code NIE-DOE, Katz Rothman, Germany Norway, Florida Books, Department Energy, Social Security, James Watson, human genome, genetic testing, genome project, human genome project, genetic diseases, health care, sex cell, knoppers 2035, ethical implications human, employers insurers, ethical guidelines, human gene, implications human genome, universal health care,
Approximate Word count = 1912
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)