Comitato Scientifico Antivivisezionista
There is a spectre stalking Europe. The European Parliament is about to approve a Directive that will make it possible to patent genetically manipulated living organisms.
Via P.A. Micheli, 62 / Roma 00197 / ItalyThe Directive will hand control over the genetic heritage of humans, animals and plants to the few individuals rich enough to buy the patents, thereby effectively transforming life itself into a commodity good to be altered on the whim of partisan commercial interests.
Under the influence of the world's most powerful lobbies. the European Parliament seems ready to ignore international conventions for the protection of man and the environment and to go down in history as this millennium's Pontius Pilate.
The Directive on the "Protection of Biotechnological Inventions" is effectively a denial of any but an economic meaning to life. It will allow patents to protect the marketing of both parts of the human body - such as genes - and artificial organisms obtained by crossing genes from different species: plants with animals, animals with humans. These organisms could also be reproduced by cloning and their commercial exploitation would be granted to any descendants.
Selected high-yield breeds would colonize the planet, limiting its biodiversity and, by upsetting natural equilibria, increasing out of all proportion the danger of famine, ecological disaster and diseases that today are not only unpredictable, but totally unimaginable (and of which "mad cows" are perhaps a mere foretaste). The man-pig hybrids intended to provide organs for transplants could trigger new epidemics by passing on viruses from other species. And then, what percentage of human genes will a pig need before it can call itself a human? And how many pig organs will a human have to have before he is classified as a pig?
How can scientific progress have any future if it is covered by industrial secrecy imposed by the logic of a market for patents? How can we take a stand against doctors who are already announcing their readiness and willingness to clone their patients?
If you want Europe to belong to its citizens and not to the multinationals, you can take part in our campaign to make the European Parliament aware of all the issues involved. To find out how, call or write (including by e-mail) to Comitato Scientifico Antivivisezionista which, together with other associations, is fighting to prevent this nightmare coming true.
Address: Via P.A. Micheli, 62 / Roma 00197 / Italy
info@antivivisezione.it
tel: 0039-6-3220720 fax:0039-6-3225370
Source: Civitas: The Civil Abolitionist
- Autumn 1999 issue of The Civil Abolitionist
- CEPE response to UCDavis primate center claims
- Dr Andre Menache xenotransplants article in WHO Bulletin
- Poliomyelitis: a case study in vivisection by Steve Bedard
- SV40 virus in polio vaccines