STATEMENT OF JAMIE F. METZL
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, THE ASIA SOCIETY
BEFORE THE HOUSE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND NONPROLIFERATION
“CAN WE PREVENT THE ARMS RACE OF THE HUMAN RACE”
JUNE 19, 2008
https://web.archive.org/web/20160413062142/http://democrats.hcfa.house.gov:80/110/met061908.htm
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Although the prospect of human genetic modification is terrifying to many, it is a reality, and a potentially very positive reality, of our future. As difficult as it will be to establish an international framework for maximizing the benefits and minimizing the dangers of this revolutionary advance, the consequences of not doing so are severe. Allowing these capabilities to emerge completely unregulated and unchecked will ultimately serve to de-legitimize critically important research and applications, prove destabilizing in international affairs, and potentially allow actual abuses to occur that could harm individuals and our species as a whole.
I am not here today to advocate for immediately establishing a Genetics Abuse Non-Proliferation treaty. In fact, I think that establishing such a treaty is premature in light of where the science now stands, and there may be a better approach than this altogether that has yet to be proposed. I do believe, however, that this science is moving extremely fast and that we must supercharge our national and global dialogue about how to build a global policy structure that achieves our dual goals of promoting miraculous life science research and avoiding an arms race of the human race that could prove extremely dangerous to us all.
Thank you very much. I look forward to answering any questions you may have.
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