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Keep Governments Out of Genetics, Says DNA Pioneer

Tuesday, April 8, 2003
(9:26 AM ET)
By Ben Hirschler
Reuters Writer

"You might have a ban on multiple cloning. Fifty of the same people in London would be awkward," James Watson said. But in the future, cloning might be an option for infertile couples who wanted to be sure of the intellectual ability of their children.

LYON, France -- Reuters
Governments should stay out of genetics and let individuals decide how to use knowledge about their genes, including whether to create designer babies, one of the co-discovers of DNA said on Tuesday.

James Watson, the Nobel Prize-winner who unraveled the double-helix structure of DNA 50 years ago, said private citizens -- not states or popes -- had the right to determine their genetic fate and that of their offspring.

"We are the product of our genes. No one else is going to take care of us or give us rules for how to behave except ourselves," the 75-year-old scientist told reporters at the Biovision world life sciences conference in France.

"I'm against society imposing rules on individuals for how they want to use genetic knowledge. We're too multi-cultural to say we know how other people should behave. The state should stay out of genetics."

* CLONING
(More: Reuters.com)
2003 © Reuters, Ltd.

Dan