The Human Genome: Who Owns the Book of Life?

When the Human Genome Project and Celera announced in June, 2000 that they had successfully mapped the human genome, much of the media attention focused on the moral issues raised by such a huge scientific advance. While mapping is a far cry from full decoding, the fact remains that genetic manipulation and modification is already happening in simpler organisms, and it is merely a matter of time and money before human DNA can be programmed as well. The Human Genome, a new entry in the NewsMatters series, explores a very current topic that poses many more questions than answers, and while the question in the title is never specifically addressed, many other relevant ones are, such as, "who should have access to genetic information?" and "should genetic modification be used for disease prevention only, or should cosmetic alterations also be available?" Tough questions that are addressed by a very articulate bunch of teens who offer their opinions and insights on the nature vs. nurture debate, privacy issues, and even mortality. The teen talk, combined with the fairly in-depth accompanying curriculum, is sure to encourage dialogue in the classroom. Unfortunately, the rest of the program is mediocre, using very dated stock footage (think '80s hair) and repeated shots that are sometimes irrelevant to the narration. Still, genetics is a very hot topic, and since this would be useful as a discussion starter, it's recommended, with reservations. Other new titles in the series include: Why Don't Americans Vote? and Cuba and the U.S.: Feuding Neighbors. Aud: J, H. (E. Gieschen)