Commentss4 The Human Page 1 of 2 Center for International Development at Harvard University (CID) Genome as 'common heritage of mankind’ Gerald Graham, Ph. D., geraldgraham@attcanada.net Sn International Environmental Consultant ‘Ottawa, Canada The third millennium s rapidly approgshng, and nt fr beyond that the scheduled rene by the Human Genome Project of a working draft ofthe human tenome. Ths sx month window present th international emu with Bolden oppomuity to declare the human genome the common hetage of mankind” The commoa heritage concopt has precedent in pubic iterations Tawi the form ofthe 1982 Utd Nations Comention o the Las ofthe Sea ‘Whats good forthe seabed anit resources shoud a fori, be good fr the sorclled book oF if, the gente Bueprin: or humanity whch embeded inside each and everyone of us. ‘The community of nations has already toyed with this tmely idea. Two years ‘go, the Uriversl Declaration onthe Human Genome and Human Rigs was ‘opted by concen (UNESCO, 1997), Article silts thal "The buna ‘senome underies the fundamental unity ofall members ofthe human fai, as ‘well asthe recognition of tha inherent dignity and diversity” The sane article toes on fo sy that "In a symbolic sense, (he human genome) isthe here fthumanity” Arle 4 ges more specific: "The human genome ints tral, ‘sate sal ao give se fo fancial gains ‘This declaration, portant milestone though itis, has its tations For one thing. the United States of America, which undraes the bulk ofthe worlds sensi esearch isnot a Member State of UNESCO, ts sponsor Furlermors ‘he deletion i now-bining om signatories. Also, i Seems gratuitous say that ‘he genome sal pot givers to franc gins in its tral sate, since vo get fat gone you basally fst have to alter ts natural state andr saat or he Funan bos Genes for more than twelve hundred human disorders have ben ented so fr (National Geographic, 1999 There are alfeay afew thousand” buman gene patents worldwide ( Ottawa Citizen, 1999) Since ony 25 percent of he 100,000 or so human genes have been mapped to now, then nls he rules are hanged. many more patent canbe expected inthe coming years Inthe meant, the sce community sels incensingly concerned. As the Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics has observed. "The human genome is sen by many a belongs to everyone, and allowing privatisation of certain gene Sequences by patting isen as private ake-over of Ou como heise" ( FIGO, 1997), As forthe American Collegeof Medial Genetics, tells for aban ‘on human gene patenting. cing exorbitant use fes and monopole Hcensing ‘naa Citizen, 1999 http:/Aww.cid harvard.edulcidbiotech/comments54.htm o7/toris99Comments54 Page 2 of 2 Responding to thes and other worrying developments, the US an UK _goverments being responsible for the bulk of genome research, ae sad to be patning an agement o prevent the 100,000 human gees being patented by private compaies( BBC News, 1999 One wonders whether existing patents ‘Would be panda under his acord. Ako, what ito pevent a pavate ‘company such as Celera fom moving is computer operator to Bangalore, sy, ‘thereby escaping jursition? Extending the principe ofthe common heritage of maskin to genes would 0%, ‘po focto, rosribe the patestng of drags of procedares lowing fom the map ‘ofthe human genome Rather, it wou ensure that acess the secrets fe Fe a open to al who Sek it, ow and orever Sources Universal Declaration onthe Human Genome snd Haman Rights, UNESCO General Conftence, 11 November, 1997 James Sheeve,"Seres ofthe Gene", National Geographic, Val. 196, No.4 an MacL.go, "Human genes, private property, Special Report, Otawa Citizen, PAIS, 28 September 199, Patenting of Human Genes, The FIGO Comite forthe Study of Ethical ‘Aspects of Human Production, Bas, 30 May, 1997 "Plant block patenting of human genes", BBC Online Network, Sept 2, 1999, http:/www.cid harvard.edu/cidbiotech/comments54.htm o7/oigs9