Attachment III - Page 16 
THE NEW YORK TIMES, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1982 
K 
Founded in 1851 
ADOLPH S. OCHS. Publisher 1836-1935 
ARTHUR HAYS SULZBERGER. Publisher 1935 1961 
0RV1LE DEYFOOS. Publisher 1961 1963 
ARTHUR OCHS SULZBERGER. Publisher 
• 
A M ROSENTHAL. Executive Editor 
SEYMOUR TOPPING, Managing Editor 
ARTHUR G ET J Deputy Managing Editor 
JAMES LGREENTTELD, Assistant M anag-.ng Editor 
LOUIS SILVERSTEIN. Assistant Manuring Editor 
• 
MAX rRANXEL. Editorial Page Editor 
JACK ROSENTHAL. Deputy Editorial Page Editor 
• 
CHARLOTTE CVRTIS. Associate Editor 
TOM WICKER. Associate Editor 
• 
JOHN D. POMTRET. Exec. V. P, General Manager 
DONALD A MZEN. Sr.VJ > ., Consumer Marketing 
LANCE R PRLMTS, Sr. VJ>„ Adiemsmg 
J. A RIGGS JR, Sr. VJ>, Operations 
JOHN M. O'BRIEN. VJ>„ Controller 
ELLSE J. ROSS, VJ>„ Systems 
The Rules for Reshaping Life 
The genetically engineered strain of giant 
mouse announced recently shows the surprising 
easd with which researchers can effect changes in 
living organisms. Though it is just a matter of time 
before such interventions become technically feasi- 
ble in humans, the issue has received remarkably 
little public discussion from the biologists who are 
fast developing the tools for reshaping the handi- 
work of evolution. 
This silence prompts a closer look at a recent at- 
tempt by the President’s bioethics commission to 
address the problems raised by the prospect of 
human genetic engineering. Its study was requested 
by three church groups, which warned that “those 
who would play God will be tempted as never be- 
fore." But the commission concludes only that there 
are no ethical or religious reasons to stop the re- 
search — a drastic measure that few would contem- 
plate. Its only objection "is to “the hybridizing of 
human beings with other living things to create par- 
tially human creatures.” 
Genetic engineering is certainly proceeding 
rapidly, and religious leaders expressed an under- 
standable anxiety. But they provided no focus for 
their apprehension. Their theologians advised the 
commission that gene-splicing technology was not in 
itself irreligious and may be rightfully used to har- 
ness nature for human benefit. 
What, then, is the problem? The commission 
wisely holds that humanity cannot be expected to 
“turn its back on what is probably one of the great- 
est technological revolutions in history." Yet it ac- 
knowledges that the "awesome power" of the new 
technology is like letting the genie out of the bottle. 
Manipulation of human genes, it notes, may one day 
provide a means for redressing the natural lottery of 
inheritance: Will everyone assert a right to genetic 
equality? Will the socially rich use the new tech- 
nology to become genetically richer? 
The genie must emerge, but how can it best be 
controlled? The only restriction the commission pro- 
poses, on human-animal hybrids, is both too late and 
too soon. Too late because, in one sense, the first step 
has already been taken: human genes have been in- 
serted into bacteria to produce insulin and other use- 
ful substances. Too soon because no one yet contem- 
plates designing mermaids or centaurs. 
A more imminent place to control the genie 
would be to prohibit inheritable alterations to the 
human gene set. Repairing genes in body cells is 
under active study; the next step is to aim the gene 
repair at the reproductive cells. The case for encour- 
aging such therapy is that the remedy would benefit 
both the individuals and their descendants. Yet it is 
hard to distinguish between repairing a defect and 
enhancing normal functions. The commission dis- 
cerns the danger of a drift toward "perfecting” 
human beings once this door is opened, but offers no 
suggestion for addressing the danger. 
The commission has boldly vetoed animal- 
human hybrids, which are on no one’s agenda, but 
has tiptoed around the more concrete issues. Let 
mermaids be free of bans, at least until someone has 
serious plans for creating them. The more tangible 
problem is whether to permit heritable changes to 
the human gene set. 
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