Thomas Daschle: “a half-century ago, Drs. Francis Crick and James Watson discovered the structure of DNA--a revolutionary breakthrough…”

“a half-century ago, Drs. Francis Crick and James Watson discovered the structure of DNA--a revolutionary breakthrough that enabled scientists to begin unraveling the mysteries of human life and diseases. Earlier this year, scientists at the National Human Genome Research Institute celebrated the completion of a massive undertaking begun 10 years earlier to map the entire human genetic code. Our new knowledge about our genetic blueprint has the potential to dramatically improve our health and the quality of our lives. It also has the potential to destroy lives. Which of those two potentials becomes reality depends on whether and how well our laws keep pace with changes in technology. We know from hearings we held in the Senate that current laws are inadequate to protect Americans from genetic discrimination. We also know that today Americans are not being tested, not taking advantage of medical advances, and not participating in genetic research because of their fear of discrimination. Their fears, unfortunately, are not unfounded.”