| Human
genes for breakfast?
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Secret work on strange new foods could turn us all
into a nation of cannibals. You may soon be eating steak, chicken,
pork or lamb made from human and animal genes. Genes are the building
blocks of life. They control eye colour, height, intelligence, and
a million other things that make us human. (This feature written
by Dr Patrick Dixon MA MBBS -
whole site gets 24 million requests a year).
Scientists can swap genes from one person to another,
between plants, animals or insects to see what happens. Salmon with
extra mouse and human genes grow fast - up to four times normal
size in a few months. Designer meat can be made by mixing our genes
with animals to make superbreeds.
Humanised cows, pigs, rabbits, sheep and fish have
already been born - just some of 60,000 mutants made each year by
British scientists.
Some of these animals may bring medical benefit. An
Edinburgh company (Pharmaceutical Proteins) has made a sheep called
Tracy. She adds human protein to her milk which may help people
with lung disease.
Miracle cures could come from genes. New microbes
already make human insulin for diabetics. Soon we may have a cure
for cystic fibrosis and new treatments for cancer. Gene research
will help us fight AIDS.
Humanised pigs grow fast but are blind, impotent and
crippled with arthritis. They are almost all pig and look like pigs
but scientists can make them half human if they like.
Geeps have already been made from sheep and goat -
so why not humigs or humonkeys too? They could try to make monkeys
with human speech. We can try just about any mix of genes we like.
Scorpion poison genes have been given to cabbages.
The cabbages kill caterpillars but what about people?
Microbe poison genes gave been added to mutant potatoes.
They look and taste identical. Non-bruising tomatoes have also been
made. While this meat and veg is not yet on sale you are already
eating other gene food. Mutant yeast in bread for example. You can't
tell because there are no labels.
The government says labels are a waste of time and
effort. They test new foods and reckon those on sale are safe. Supermarkets
don't want gene labels on bread, beef or canned tomatoes because
they think people will be scared off. No labels, no choice. They
remember the big fuss over nuclear radiation used to stop meat getting
too bad to eat.
The moment they were forced to tell shoppers which
foods had been treated they knew the battle was lost. Most
of us didn't want to eat irradiated food, even if it was as safe
as experts said. One by one the big food chains banned the process
- by popular demand.
However there is one big difference when it comes
to mutant meat. You might be happy the meat is safe, but do you
really want to eat someone else's genes?
Even hungry meat eaters may turn up their noses at
humanised pork chops with their scorpion salad and rubberised tomatoes.
The Co-op group has just banned all humanised meat,
insect genes in vegetables and other horrors. Other supermarket
chains have followed.
Many MPs are worried that profits may come before
safety. They want labels on all these foods so you and I can choose.
Scientists have never had so much power with designer food.
These things are all possible with the knowledge we
have today. Is this the kind of world we want to live in? So many
benefits and so many dangers. I shudder to think what would have
done with gene power.
That is why we need a Gene Charter allowing the best
and protecting us from the worst. Proper food labelling will do
for a start.
Dr Patrick Dixon is author of Futurewise.
Should Scientists be told
when to stop? Web TV
Full
text of The Genetic Revolution - book by Dr Patrick Dixon
Human genetics
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