Genetics and Human Behaviour

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Genetics and Human Behaviour Cover final A/W13657 19/9/02 11:52 am Page 1 Genetics and human behaviour : Genetic screening: ethical issues Published December 1993 the ethical context Human tissue: ethical and legal issues Published April 1995 Animal-to-human transplants: the ethics of xenotransplantation Published March 1996 Mental disorders and genetics: the ethical context Published September 1998 Genetically modified crops: the ethical and social issues Published May 1999 The ethics of clinical research in developing countries: a discussion paper Published October 1999 Stem cell therapy: the ethical issues – a discussion paper Published April 2000 The ethics of research related to healthcare in developing countries Published April 2002 Council on Bioethics Nuffield The ethics of patenting DNA: a discussion paper Published July 2002 Genetics and human behaviour the ethical context Published by Nuffield Council on Bioethics 28 Bedford Square London WC1B 3JS Telephone: 020 7681 9619 Fax: 020 7637 1712 Internet: www.nuffieldbioethics.org Cover final A/W13657 19/9/02 11:52 am Page 2 Published by Nuffield Council on Bioethics 28 Bedford Square London WC1B 3JS Telephone: 020 7681 9619 Fax: 020 7637 1712 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.nuffieldbioethics.org ISBN 1 904384 03 X October 2002 Price £3.00 inc p + p (both national and international) Please send cheque in sterling with order payable to Nuffield Foundation © Nuffield Council on Bioethics 2002 All rights reserved. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, no part of the publication may be produced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form, or by any means, without prior permission of the copyright owners. Designed by dsprint/redesign 7 Jute Lane Brimsdown Enfield EN3 7JL Printed by Latimer Trend & Company Ltd Estover Road Plymouth PL6 7PL PRELIMS 13657 17/9/02 9:20 am Page i Genetics and human behaviour: the ethical context PRELIMS 13657 17/9/02 9:20 am Page ii ii PRELIMS 13657 17/9/02 9:20 am Page iii Nuffield Council on Bioethics Professor Sir Ian Kennedy (Chairman) Professor Martin Bobrow CBE (Deputy Chairman) Professor Tom Baldwin Ms Rebecca Burke CBE Professor Sir Kenneth Calman KCB FRSE The Rt Rev Richard Harries DD FKC FRSL Professor Bob Hepple QC Professor John Ledingham Professor Catherine Peckham CBE Professor Martin Raff Mr Nick Ross Professor Herbert Sewell Professor Dame Marilyn Strathern FBA Professor Albert Weale FBA Dr Alan Williamson FRSE Secretariat Dr Sandy Thomas (Director) Ms Tor Lezemore Ms Susan Bull (until April 2002) Mr Harald Schmidt (from May 2002) Mrs Julia Fox Ms Yvonne Melia (until April 2002) Ms Natalie Bartle (from June 2002) Ms Nicola Perrin Ms Elaine Talaat-Abdalla Ms Maria Gonzalez-Nogal The terms of reference are as follows: 1 to identify and define ethical questions raised by recent advances in biological and medical research in order to respond to, and to anticipate, public concern; 2 to make arrangements for examining and reporting on such questions with a view to promoting public understanding and discussion; this may lead, where needed, to the formulation of new guidelines by the appropriate regulatory or other body; 3 in the light of the outcome of its work, to publish reports; and to make representations, as the Council may judge appropriate. The Nuffield Council on Bioethics is funded jointly by the Medical Research Council, the Nuffield Foundation and the Wellcome Trust iii PRELIMS 13657 17/9/02 9:20 am Page iv iv PRELIMS 13657 17/9/02 9:20 am Page v Preface I was apprehensive when asked by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics to chair the Working Party which has produced this Report. First, because the subject has an ugly history: within living memory perverted science was put at the service of ideologies that led to the subjugation and even extermination of people judged to be genetically ‘inferior’. Secondly, because modern behavioural genetics is rich in promise but, as yet, poor in hard verifiable evidence. Thirdly, because it seemed unlikely that one would be able to reach any agreed recommendations in this highly complex and controversial field. All these fears have been dispelled over the past two years in which the Working Party has met eleven times, held six fact-finding sessions with more than twenty experts, commissioned reviews of the scientific evidence, and undertaken a public consultation. It became clear that this investigation, believed to be the first of its kind, is necessary if we want to avoid the mistakes of the past, make an impartial assessment of the emerging scientific evidence, and reach valid moral and legal conclusions about the potential applications of the research. The agreed recommendations are important, but perhaps even more significant are the careful explanation that we have attempted to give of the methods of research in this area, the assessment of the current evidence for genetic influences on behaviour, and the balanced discussion of the ethical and legal choices that lie ahead. Our expectation is that this Report will help non-specialists to understand what behavioural genetics aspires to achieve, what has thus far been achieved and equally importantly, how much has not yet been achieved. We hope that it will promote an informed debate between scientists, policy makers, and the lay public about the ethical and legal implications. I should like to thank the members of the Working Party for their hard work and dedication; working with them was an enjoyable and stimulating experience. We are all grateful to Dr Sandy Thomas, Director of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, for her guidance and sound judgment. Tor Lezemore made a truly outstanding contribution as our inventive scribe, editor and secretary; her sparkling humour and enthusiasm kept us going. Thanks are also due to Julia Fox, Yvonne Melia, Susan Bull, Natalie Bartle and Nicola Perrin for their support. Finally, since this is the last Report which will be published under Sir Ian Kennedy’s chairmanship of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, I should like to pay tribute to his enormous contribution to bioethics in general, and to his role as mentor of this Working Party in particular. Bob Hepple QC v PRELIMS 13657 17/9/02 9:20 am Page vi Acknowledgements The Working Party wishes to thank the many organisations and individuals who have assisted its work, particularly those who attended fact-finding meetings or submitted responses to the public consultation. The Working Party is very grateful to Professor Sir Robert Hinde, Professor Erik Parens, Professor Nikolas Rose, Tim Radford and Professor Sir Michael Rutter, who all reviewed an earlier draft of the Report. Their comments contained constructive criticisms and suggestions for further discussion, which were extremely helpful. The Working Party would like to thank the following individuals from whom it commissioned papers reviewing the scientific evidence in research in behavioural genetics: Professor John Crabbe, Professor Jeffery Gray, Professor Nicholas Mackintosh and Professor Terrie Moffitt. The Working Party is also grateful to individuals who responded to requests for advice on specific parts of the Report, including Dr Jonathan Flint, Mrs Nicola Padfield and Professor Mark Rothstein. vi PRELIMS 13657 17/9/02 9:20 am Page vii Genetics and human behaviour: the ethical context Table of Contents Council membership and terms of reference.................................................................... iii Preface ................................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements............................................................................................................. vi Working Party membership.............................................................................................. xiii Working Party terms of reference..................................................................................... xv Summary and recommendations...................................................................................... xix Section I: Introduction and context Chapter 1: Introduction........................................................................................................ 3 Why this Working Party is important.................................................................................. 5 Defining the normal range of behavioural characteristics................................................ 7 The scope of research in behavioural genetics .................................................................. 8 The structure of the Report ................................................................................................. 8 Chapter 2: The historical context ...................................................................................... 11 The impact of eugenic thought on research into human behaviour ............................. 18 Psychology in the first half of the twentieth century .......................................... 18 Psychology from the 1960s onwards...................................................................... 20 Individual differences ............................................................................. 20 Evolutionary psychology......................................................................... 21 Processes of development ...................................................................... 21 Conclusion ..........................................................................................................................
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