Gene genie casts ominous shadow

Gene genie casts ominous shadow(2001, Dec 3) The Daily Telegraph, by P. Hamlyn

Peter Hamlyn is consultant neurosurgeon at St Bartholomew's and the Royal London Hospital, which is not necessarily an indication of his knowledge on molecular biology, though certainly valuable that somebody in this position would write an article on this topic.

Hamlyn comments on the conference at UCL titled 'Genes in Sport' at which discussions took place on Kenyan runners and twin research conduted at St Thomas' Hospital.

An area that has yet to be discussed in any depth is the application of genetic science to horseracing, which has the potential to be a further way in which genetic technology infiltrates our cultural practices.

Hamlyn provides his own medic's view to advance the critique that the world is not yet prepared politically, legally or ethically to deal with genetics in culture.

The application of genetic technology to sport is considered as a downside to the potential fruitful consequences of genetic science. So, again, we see a willling rejection of such applications, yet, still, without any qualification of what makes this a problematic application of the technology. Hamlyn notes the potential challenge this raises, recognising that asking an athlete to sit through a muscle biopsy is quite a lot to ask.