Reclaiming the human genome : a philosophical perspective

Abstract

The human genome sequence has become central to ethical and policy debates on the application of genetic research to biomedicine and biotechnology. It is also shaping contemporary ideas about our humanness with scholars using the powerful scriptural metaphor of the “Book of Man” to refer to the human genome and likening its decoding to the search for the “Holy Grail.” While HUGO declared that those who participate in genetic studies should receive some benefits from participation, both UNESCO and the World Medical Association have declared the human genome as common heritage of mankind, and condemned any commercial benefit from the human genome in its natural state. The World Medical Association has even urged medical organizations around the world to lobby against gene patenting. In this article, the author discusses the concept of common heritage, and it's interpretations in the Philosophical and Theological spheres.