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11 August 1967, Volume< 157. Number 3789 SCIENCE
Will Society Be Prepared?
New information is being obtained in the field of biochem. Cal gcoetic&
at ao extremely ra.pid rate. Thus far. I.his knowledge hu had rclativdy
liuJc effect UP')(' mao.. More infonn;,1.1ion m\l\t be obtained bt:fote prao:
deal 3pplicatioo will be pos.,ible. and lbe tedmical problffl't1 that owii'
be o..-crcome are fonnidabke. Howeve,. wbffl these obstacles ba" ~
removed thls t.oowtcdge will g:re.ady inft~ man's futur~ for ro.aa -
will have the po'ftt to shape bis l)'WO bio&opc dCSUDy. Sucb power ~
be used wudy or unwisely, for the bcttcrmmt or detriment of man~:
Salvador Luria t,.a, said: "'the progress ot scicoce is so npid that It
crea1t'.\ 1n imbalance t,e1w«n 1hc powier it pla~es in the hands of mu
aod 1hc ~iaf conJition:s i.n which thi<1: power is c:<iertc!d. Then oeitbcr
waminp of $clcntisti, nor breadth of public information. oor wudoe
ot eitiz.:ns may compcnAatc for inadc,qu:acies of the institutional r~work.
to cope with the new s,i,:uatiom... l--~
The public understands to some utcut the recent dev.c:Jopmencs in bici-.
chemical genetics, but has oa.ty a vogue DOtioo o( what may be ~~
in the future. in !opltc of the ctf\)11.$ o( ma.oy ~tiscs to infonn •
~ic about probable future dcvclopmcots. ·.*.;
Where do we ,lJJ'ld today? The gcoctic language oow is known. aa4)
it SC'(fflS clear ma.I. 11)()18(, it noc all. forms o( life on Lb.d planet u,e ~ !
,a.me la.ncua,e. with miaor vui.1.tions. Simple gcne1ic mes.,agn oow caa'
be t:,rnthcsized chemically. Genetic wr,ery. applied to microorganisms.
is a reality. ~ can be prepared from one s1rain of bacte& ~
inserted i.:nio aootber. which tS thea. cba.o,ed ,en.eticaJly. Such cb.a.ojcl~
are inheritable. Thus far, it has oot btto pouible lo program m.am.ma1-W·
cells in thl\ way. · :t
What may be expected in the fututt'! Short but mc;:an.ing(u1 ,e-netie
mc:w.,es will be syntheS-izW chtmic:aUy. Since ttH: lnsb"Uctiom will be.
wri.ucn in the langu.3,e wh.ich cells undenc.utd. the m~ges wiU be ui,td
10 prOjr3.m cells. Cells will cany out the instruc1ions. and 1hc progr:w
may ,even be inhttired. I doo't toow how long ir will take before it will
be possjblc to proaram cells with chcmiC::?iUy synthesized m~ges.
Certainly the u.perimental ohst:\Cle-s :i,re formid:i,ble. H~evcr. I have
little doubt that the ob$ucles evcn1ually will be overcome. The tJolr quc:,~
rion is when. My rua1 is that cells will be progr3mmcd 'Nilh synthetic
mt~a~ withi1:t :!S yeaB. rt c-ff',ms .ilong 1hose lines were incensifted.
~ctcria might ~ progr3mmcd within S yc:ars.
The point which dcsi:rves 1pedal ;:mph.a.sis i5 trult man may be ~
to proj:ram his own .:ells with 1yntbctic ui!ormation loog be.fore be d
be ~le to 3SSCM ~uatety th.e long•tenn con\equcoccs of such alterations.
Iona before he will be able to formulate goab. uid Jong before
be can r~olvc tM ethical :and moral problems which will be r:>.iaed.
When man becomes capable of instructioJ his own eclls. he anm
refrain from doing so until be ha$ 1uffic;e.ot wisJom to use tbt1 knowted,c
tor the bend, o( mAnkind. I state th.is problem well in advance of me
o.eed to resolve it. t,«,_usc decisions <:ooccro;ng the applk~llon of this
taowledae must nkima.tely t>e made by society, and oaty an Ulfonned.
JOcicty can make such dcci.$.ions wi.sdy.-M.utSHALL W. Nru.m:UG.
National H~art lnsdtuu
nit. Nltoritl " --,..d fro• ,-ru a.iMle le ~ dw ~ COll"f'OU dO&~
19'6 .a•atd. | 