The Wellcome Debate
04 July 2008
These are just a few of the questions to be raised at ‘The Wellcome Debate’ at Wellcome Collection on Thursday 10 July. Join a panel of experts from the fields of genetics, biomedicine, private business, policy and the media to explore the issues in detail.
An article published last week in ‘The New England Journal of Medicine’ by Cambridge University scientists suggests that we are closer than ever to producing a test to be offered to women to determine their predisposition to breast cancer. In the past fortnight American states including California and New York have begun to clamp down on private firms that provide direct-to-consumer genetic testing.
As new links between genetics and common conditions such as heart disease and diabetes are discovered, companies produce and market tests to predict your likelihood of developing them. How should these tests be made available - only through a doctor or unreservedly to anyone willing to pay? What happens once the results are known?
Participants in ‘The Wellcome Debate’ will be actively encouraged to air their views during the discussion, and will be able to participate in interactive voting throughout the event.
Tickets are FREE of charge but must be booked in advance. Book tickets.
The Wellcome Debate Speakers
Christine Patch, Consultant Genetic Counsellor, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital
Christine Patch is currently Consultant genetic counsellor/manager in the clinical genetics department in Guys Hospital. She originally qualified as a nurse and started in genetics in the late 1980s. After some 15 years of experience in clinical genetics she spent time as a researcher before moving back into the NHS. Her research interests are in evaluating genetic technologies. She is a member of various professional and advisory bodies including the UK Human Genetics Commission and the Professional and Public Policy Committee of the European Society for Human Genetics.
Christine will be exploring how direct consumer genetic testing poses many challenges.
Alison Stewart, Principal Associate, PHG Foundation
Alison began her professional life in biochemistry research, then moved into science writing and publishing, focusing on genetics and developmental biology. With a move to the Public Health Genetics Unit (now the PHG Foundation) in 1998 her interests widened again to include the ethical, policy and public health implications of human genomics. She has written web articles, briefing papers, project reports and a book on these topics, and lectured to medical and public health students.
Alison will be arguing that we should avoid giving DNA special status, and that the most important this is the predictive power of the test.
Kári Stefánsson, Managing Director, deCODE genetics
Kári Stefánsson, MD, Dr. Med. has served as President, Chief Executive Officer and a director since he co-founded deCODE in August 1996. Headquartered in Reykjavik, Iceland, deCODE is a biopharmaceutical company applying its discoveries in human genetics to the development of drugs and diagnostics for common diseases.
Dr. Stefánsson was appointed to serve as the Chairman of the Board of Directors in December 1999. From 1993 until April 1997, Dr. Stefánsson was a professor of Neurology, Neuropathology and Neuroscience at Harvard University. In addition, from 1993 through December 1996 he was Director of Neuropathology at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. From 1983 to 1993 he held faculty positions in Neurology, Neuropathology and Neurosciences at the University of Chicago. Dr. Stefánsson received his MD and Dr. Med. from the University of Iceland and is board-certified in neurology and neuropathology in the United States.
Mark Henderson, Science Editor, 'The Times'
Mark Henderson is Science Editor at 'The Times' newspaper. He graduated from the University of Oxford in 1996 and also writes for the weekly Saturday column ‘Junk Medicine’.
Earlier this year, Mark wrote about his own experiences of taking a deCODE test, which will form the basis of his talk.
Media enquiries
Mike Findlay, Wellcome Collection Media Officer
T 020 7611 8612
E
m.findlay@wellcome.ac.uk
Notes for editors
The Wellcome Trust is the largest charity in the UK. It funds innovative biomedical research, in the UK and internationally, spending over £600 million each year to support the brightest scientists with the best ideas. The Trust supports public debate about biomedical research and its impact on health and wellbeing.
Our former headquarters, the Wellcome Building on London's Euston Road, has been redesigned by Hopkins Architects to become a new £30 million public venue. Free to all, Wellcome Collection explores the connections between medicine, life and art in the past, present and future. The building comprises three galleries, a public events space, the Wellcome Library, a café, a bookshop, conference facilities and a members' club.