Human Genome Diversity Project

The human genome diversity project (HGDP) was started by Stanford University's Morrison Institute and a collaboration of scientists around the world. The HGDP is in no way related to the Human Genome Project, and has attempted to maintain a completely distinct identity. Unlike the latter, which has attempted to map the entire human genome, the HGDP has attempted to map the DNA that varies between humans, which is a less than 1% difference.

Potential benefits

Members of the HGDP have maintained that diversity research could yield new data on various fields of study ranging from disease surveillance to anthropology. The Morrison Institute has maintained that diversity research could create definitive proof of the origin of individual racial groups. For example, through this research we could identify with certainty that the Spanish are more closely related to the Italians rather than the Germans.

Another potential gain lies in research on human traits. For example, through diversity research one can identify the causes of a long or short nose and how such characteristics relate to racial groups and finally how individual racial characteristics are part of a pattern of human development. The HGDP has maintained that research needs to be conducted as quickly as possible before small native populations in places like South America become extinct. HGDP scientists argue that if we are to ever gain a full assessment of human development, we must engage in diversity research immediately.

Finally, one last benefit is disease research. Diversity research could unlock secrets behind the vulnerability of racial groups to certain diseases and how populations have adapted to these vulnerabilities. The HGDP could help medical researchers create strategies to deal with these issues.

Potential problems

Racism

One major concern with the research project has been the potential for racism in certain countries resulting from HGDP data. Some have speculated that when governments are armed with genetic data linked to certain racial groups, they could feel the need to deny people rights based on this data. For example, countries could define races purely in genetic terms and deny a certain person right(s) based on their lack of conformity to a certain race's "genetic model."

The ETC Group (formerly RAFI) has been a major critic of the HGDP citing issues of racism and stigmatization that could occur should the HGDP be completed.

Biological weapons

Another concern with the HGDP has been the threat of racially targeted biological weapons from the project. Since the project will identify genes that tend to conform to specific racial groups, many have theorized that groups could create biological weapons that could target specific racial groups. Should the HGDP uncover specific diseases that tend to affect certain races, it is conceivable that a groups could develop a biological weapon that targets that certain disease and killing that specific racial group only. While most have called these ideas ridiculous, many concede that such weapons are theoretically possible and could have a dire impact.

Conspiracy theories

Some have labeled the HGDP as a conspiracy theory by the US Government to target and eliminate specific populations of society. Many have highlighted research on the "vulnerability" of foreign populations to disease at Fort Detrick, Maryland (Home to the DOD programs on biological warfare). These people have claimed that the HGDP is really a military program out to develop race specific biological weapons and that the government could be able to test such weapons very soon.

Current status

The HGDP has all but halted in recent years. Protests from organizations like The ETC Group and other NGOs have drained support for the HGDP and funding has virtually dried up. Stanford University's Morrison Institute has virtually shut down all research. Most have conceded that the HGDP is over and will never be completed in its current form.

Alternative approaches

In 1995, the National Research Council (NRC) issued its recommendations on the subject. While the NRC endorsed the concept of diversity research, it criticized the HGDP's procedure. The NRC claimed that the HGDP had too many ethical lapses and problems. The NRC report suggested several alternatives such as doing sampling anonymously (i.e. sampling genetic data without tying it to specific racial groups). While such approaches would eliminate concerns about racism and weapons development, it would also prevent researchers from achieving many of the benefits that were to be gained from the project.

Some members of the Human Genome Project have argued in favor of engaging in diversity research on data gleaned from the Human Genome Project. Most agree that if diversity research is to happen, it only will in conjunction with the HGP and not as a separate project.

External links

• Morrison Institute
• ETC Group
• National Research Council