Human genetics made inhuman

Lately world leaders have issued statements labeling research into the human genetic blueprint as “one of the most significant scientific projects of all time.” They have also suggested that “to realize the full promise of the research, raw fundamental data on the human genome including the human DNA sequence and its variations should be made freely available to scientists everywhere.”

As of this moment, all I have read about the mapping of human genes has been so upsetting that it only brings to mind the title of the musical Stop the World, I Want to Get Off. I am very far from making my mind up about this difficult issue, but I need to share some of my initial concerns with as many people as possible.

A report cited in Reuters from the Daily Telegraph, London, indicates that “the government plans to allow insurance companies to use DNA testing to assess whether people are at risk of inheriting serious illness and should pay higher premiums.”

I believe strongly in the importance of the market as a means for the distribution of resources in society. However, I also believe that the benefits of development should accrue to all, not leaving any behind. What we now seem to be able to accomplish with research on the human genome multiplies manifold the difficulties of harmonizing these two previously contradicting objectives.

For instance, it would be great if genetics allowed the insurance companies to decide who will pay lower premiums, that is, those with less risk of developing serious illness. However, who will be responsible for those declared genetically second-class citizens, who will be forced to pay double or triple the premium, or who will ultimately be turned down altogether?

This problem is not limited to insurance. Reuters also reported on a conference to be held in mid-April in the United Kingdom in which “Genetic testing of children and testing for physical and social characteristics, as well as medical traits, would be high on the agenda.” Does this imply the possibility that even access to the university will some day be determined in part by genetic analysis?

What would parents who today limit their background search to asking their children who their friends’ parents are do tomorrow? Would they be obliged to ask about their genetic charts? The potential for discrimination is great, and would only reinforce the motivations of overly twisted Darwinists.

This genetic investigation might also represent a serious commercial threat for those countries that are not participating in this area. One of the companies racing to use information from gene mapping to make profits declared that it had hooked up with a center to find genes associated with breast cancer. If the efforts of this company are successful, it will be sitting on a patentable product and would be in a position to become a monopolist in a market with very inelastic demand. Can rationality be guaranteed within the openly declared and not unreasonable intention to obtain profit from the venture?

Many countries have signed commercial agreements that obligate them to respect patents to the extent of having to collaborate with other countries and punish unlawful use of protected discoveries. In the future, advancements in genetic science may force the revision of these accords, to decide whether they are still valid or whether, on the other hand and for the good of the common citizen, they should just look the other way.

What to do? It is very hard to say. Today, and just out of practical considerations, I limit myself to suggesting that all insurance companies design a plan which obligates them to issue policies for all of those who undertake a genetic examination. This policy should cover the negative impact and consequence that could arise from anyone getting access to such information.

I know this is only a Band-Aid, but what else can I do? I am not among those that resign and lie down to cry, even though this matter actually would justify just that.

From The Daily Journal, Caracas, March 2000

From Voice and Noise, Booksurge 2006

https://voiceandnoise.blogspot.com/2006/08/human-genetics-made-inhuman.html

Genes humanos hechos inhumanos 

A mediados de Marzo el Presidente Clinton y el Primer Ministro Tony Blair declararon in a joint statement que research into human genetic blueprint was "one of the most significant scientific projects of all time." Sugirieron también que "To realize full promise of the research, raw fundamental data on the human genome including the human DNA sequence and its variations, should be made freely available to scientist everywhere." Sonaba maravilloso. 

Desde ese momento solo he leido sobre aspectos relacionados con el mapeo de los genes humanos, tan perturbadores,.que a cada momento me recuerda el titulo del musical, Stop the world I want to get off. En la materia me encuentro muy lejos de encontrar una posición pero la angustia que me crea, me obliga a compartirla con muchos. 

Lo peor fue un reporte de Reuters en el cual, citando como fuente al Daily Telegraph de Inglaterra, se indica "The government plans to allow insurance companies to use DNA testing to assess whether people are at risk of inheriting serious illnesses and should pay higher premiums." 

Para alguien que como yo cree tanto en la importancia del mercado como mecanismo de asignación de recursos en la sociedad, como en la necesidad, objetiva y moral, que el desarrollo no solo alcance una parte de la población, y deje rezagada a la otra, las posibilidades que visualize, multiplicaron por mil las dificultades de harmonizar entre los dos algo contradictorios objetivos. 

Que bueno si la genetica permite cobrar una prima mas baja a quién no esta predispuesto a ciertas enfermedades, pero, quién se responzabiliza por el que resulte declarado ciudadano geneticamente de segunda y a quién le exigiran el pago doble, triple, o simplemente le rechazaran una cobertura. 

Lo anterior no se limita a seguros. La Reuter reporta también sobre una conferencias a mediados de Abril en Inglaterra y en la cual "Genetic testing of children and testing for physical and social characteristics, as well as medical traits, would also be high on the agenda." - lo cual dibuja en el horizonte la posibilidad de que hasta el acceso a las universidades se determine por analisis genetico. 

Los padres madres quienes hoy con toda normalidad le preguntan a sus hijos sobre quienes son los padres de sus amigos, qué harán mañana? Estarán en la obligación de preguntar sobre la carta genetica? 

Aparte de su potencial discriminatorio - que solo puede reforzar los argumentos de aquellos genéticamente desviados Darwinistas que buscan la raza suprema, la investigacion genetica también presenta una profunda amenaza comercial para los paises que hoy no tienen una presencia en esta area de la economia. 

Las primeras reacciones a las declaraciones de Clinto y Blair por parte del mercado financiero de empresas y laboratorios dedicado a la ciencia genetica fue negativa - se abre el mercado y se impide el monopolio. A los pocos dias la Casa Blanca declaraba "The whole point of this is to make raw data available so private companies can innovate, create new medicine and treatment and make a profit." y las aguas volvieron a su cause. 

Lo anterior plantea inmensos retos regulativos. Por ejemplo, Celera Genomics, one of the companies racing to use information from gene mapping to make profits, said on Monday it had hooked up with a center to find genes associated with breast cancer. Si los esfuerzos de tal empresa son exitosos obtendra un producto curativo y patentable, y se ubicara como monopolista en un mercado con una demanda inelastica. Como se garantiza la razonabilidad en la declarada y nada equivocada intención de obtener una ganancia. 

Un pais como Venezuela, ha firmado acuerdos comerciales que hoy lo obligan a respetar las patentes, hasta el grado de colaborar y perseguir el uso ilegitimo de estos. En un futuro, el desarrollo genético puede obligar a revisar estos acuerdos, para decidir si se siguen honrando o si, por el contrario, para el bien de sus ciudadanos, debe hacerse la vista gorda. 

Las reacciones emotivas que el tema produce, inspira escribir. Hoy termino proponiendo que las empresa de seguro, de inmediato diseñen un seguro, de caracter obligatorio para todo quien se haga un examen genetico, y que cubra las consecuencias negativas que se puedan derivar de poseer tal informacion. 

Reconozco que lo anterior solo es un pañito caliente, pero qué hago. No soy de los que renuncio y me hecho a llorar - aun cuando en este caso si provoca.

Oil and the Stockholm Syndrome

 Fact No. 1: In 1980 the nominal price of oil (Arabian Light) was US$ 36 per barrel. In constant dollar prices calculated using the GDP deflator with 1998 as base, this was equivalent to US$ 67. By the end of 1998 the price of oil was US$ 12.20. In real terms it means that if the price index of oil in 1980 was 100% then in 1998 it was only 18%.

Fact No. 2: The index of oil products retail prices in 1980 was equal to 100%, in the United Kingdom, it reached 247% in 1998.

Fact No. 3: The amazing difference in how the two oil-related indexes developed can only be explained by taxes. As an example, in the UK in 1980 the ad-valorem taxes on gasoline were 85%; at the end of 1998 the same taxes were 456%.

Conclusion. Oil demand and oil prices are being held hostage by the taxes levied on various oil products by most oil-consuming countries. Had it not been for these sky-high discriminatory taxes, Venezuela would today be selling more oil at higher prices, easily repaying its foreign borrowings, and not even requiring a credit rating.

Adding insult to injury, the before mentioned taxes were slammed on Venezuela's main export at a time when the country was busy reducing custom duties and opening up its economy to all type of foreign competition.

It is difficult, then, to understand why, thanks to their country’s press, radio and television, Venezuelans can only worry and feel guilty of the fact that perhaps the recent increases in the price of oil will be the detonator for inflation and worldwide recession.

Could it be that the Stockholm syndrome affects Venezuela (as well as all of the OPEC nations)? As all pseudo-psychologists and writers should know, the Stockholm syndrome is what happens when someone that has been kidnapped finally becomes sympathetic with the position of his captors and ultimately even begins to defend them.

If you doubt what I am saying, just think of how our neoliberals, while talking up the maximization of income as one of their credos, blithely forgive their foreign heroes by either ignoring the issue or by creating lame environmental excuses or by simply repeating absurdities as “being rentist is really not very good for the country”. I would specially like to see them sustain this last thesis in other countries, for example in those that do all that is possible to maximize their rent from intellectual property, to the point of turning us into their best collectors.

That’s it then. There is no doubt in my mind that the Stockholm syndrome, or something very similar, is alive and well in Venezuela’s economic policies.

We need a couple of couch sessions, this time with psychologists that are very different from those we have used up to now. Dr. International Monetary Freund turned out to be simply an unethical Dr. Fraud. While the latter was pretending to give us good advice, he would travel behind our backs throughout the world, preaching the marvels of increasing taxes on oil-based products, and when this was not sufficiently convincing, simply forcing the adoption of the policy.

With its inaction, OPEC is also a prime suspect of having come down with the same affliction. I sure hope that during their sessions next week, to be held in Vienna, they will find time to get the advice of a true Dr. Freud.

Only then will they realize that at US$ 30 per barrel, the price of oil is still less than 45% of what it was in 1980.

Only then will they be able to understand the true injustice present when a taxman of a consumer country perceives an income 4.8 times more than the producer of a non renewable asset. During February this year, premium unleaded gasoline was sold at the pump in the UK for US$ 1.18 per liter, distributed as follows: 20 cts for the producer, 5 cts for the distributor and 93 cts for the British taxman.

Only then will they know that the world is not threatened by oil prices. The world and economic growth is above all, threatened by taxes implement for the sake of easy tax collection.

Only then will they remember to ask for a reduction of oil taxes, as a quid-pro-quo for any increase in oil production.

OPEC friends, … please remember Stockholm.

Calculations based on information in World Oil Trends 1999 published by Arthur Andersen and Cambridge Energy Research Associates.

In the Daily Journal, Caracas, March 24, 2000

https://petropolitan.blogspot.com/2000/03/oil-and-stockholm-syndrome.html