Bioethics in Genomics

Abstract

In the aftermath of the Human Genome Project, research on the medical usage of the informations obtained through this Project is progressing rapidly, globally and most prominently in the developed countries. The post-genomics research, which is expected to bring fruits in health promotion and prevention, diagnosis and treatment of various disorders, can also raise various ethical, legal and social problems. In this review, contents of the guideline on the conduct of research on human genome research, which was recently publicized from Japanese government, are briefly introduced.
Various ethical and social problems raised by a clinical application of gene diagnosis and gene therapy are also discussed.