Council For Responsible Genetics

CONTACT:

5 Upland Rd., Suite 3
Cambridge, MA 02140
617-868-0870
www.gene-watch.org

Sujatha Byravan, Executive Director

DESCRIPTION:

Gene technologies are changing our environment, our food supply, and even our basic concepts of health and disease. Decisions about these powerful technologies are too far-reaching to be left to a few scientists or corporations.

The Council for Responsible Genetics was founded in 1983 as the first public interest organization to warn against misuses of gene research, and to assert the public's need to participate in biotechnology's strategic decision-making. Today CRG is the leading watch-dog of the biotechnology industry, framing the complex technical subjects of genetic engineering in their public and social contexts.

For example, genetic tests are rapidly becoming routine tools for medical diagnoses. They are also being misused for other purposes--a growing number of healthy Americans are suffering insurance or job discrimination dubiously based on genetic information.

CRG's Genetic Discrimination Program puts information on these practices in the hands of those who are most at risk. It raises public awareness about the need for limits on uses of personal genetic data, and provides technical assistance to policy-makers working to prevent genetic discrimination in New England and nationwide.

(1998: HUMAN SERVICES: Health and Aging: Medical Research)