http://truehorizon.org/2006/09/05/pseudo-explanations/ Where Clear Thinking Faith Meets The Real World Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:01:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 http://truehorizon.org/2006/09/05/pseudo-explanations/#comment-807 True Horizon » Beware of Geneticists Bearing Compassion Fri, 29 Jun 2007 18:16:15 +0000 http://truehorizon.org/2006/09/05/pseudo-explanations/#comment-807 [...] There are huge problems that have been identified with trying to “benchmark” the human genome. Not the least of which is the unknown interactions and dependencies that exist within it. We can’t even decipher the hidden meaning of what has previously been labeled “junk DNA,” but has since been found to be anything but “junk”. In short, we have no idea how messing with one area of the code — in our misguided attempt to “fix” it — will affect other areas. This could bring new meaning to the term “unintended consequences.” This is not to say that we shouldn’t seek gene therapy to prevent and cure disease. That’s laudable. But, as the article points out, gene-disease claims have a lousy track record. Of those for complex diseases involving multiple genes, notably mental illness, few have been confirmed. And when scientists have tried to validate a claim the results have been sobering. Geneticists … recently examined 85 variants (translation: “misspellings“) in 70 genes that studies had linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Exactly zero of the variants were more frequent in heart patients than in healthy patients. [...] […] There are huge problems that have been identified with trying to “benchmark” the human genome. Not the least of which is the unknown interactions and dependencies that exist within it. We can’t even decipher the hidden meaning of what has previously been labeled “junk DNA,” but has since been found to be anything but “junk”. In short, we have no idea how messing with one area of the code — in our misguided attempt to “fix” it — will affect other areas. This could bring new meaning to the term “unintended consequences.” This is not to say that we shouldn’t seek gene therapy to prevent and cure disease. That’s laudable. But, as the article points out, gene-disease claims have a lousy track record. Of those for complex diseases involving multiple genes, notably mental illness, few have been confirmed. And when scientists have tried to validate a claim the results have been sobering. Geneticists … recently examined 85 variants (translation: “misspellings“) in 70 genes that studies had linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Exactly zero of the variants were more frequent in heart patients than in healthy patients. […]

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