Four intensive workgroup sessions focused on three aspects of the bio-ethics debate: reproductive rights and eugenics; privacy, insurance and employment; and patenting and commercialization.

For example, some participants were asked whether couples had the right to terminate a pregnancy if test results indicated the fetus had 'defective' genes.

Participants were asked to formulate an opinion based on their assignment to one of four interest groups: Parents for Genetic Rights, the American Business Association, the American Board of Physicians or the National Committee on Human Rights.

Opposing groups were asked to come to a consensus in order to simulate the real-life process of policy making.

"In society there are a lot of competing interests--the government, doctors, firms, etc.," Sun said. "The question we want students to think about is how one reconciles all these interests into a workable policy."

Another group was charged with formulating a health insurance plan for a fictitious company called Winchester, Inc.

The group discussed whether the company should demand genetic testing of their employees to determine their health insurance and if so, which genetic conditions would require decreased insurance coverage.

The debate revealed a sharp dichotomy between the perspectives of the young and the old.

Anne L. Lewis, a high school guidance counselor, said, "I was impressed by native of the students who thought that insurance companies shouldn't be making money."

But students said they often found that older people came into the discussions with rigid mindsets.

"It seemed as if some of the adults had an axe to grind," said Julia M. Clay of Kalamazoo.

Nevertheless, most participants seemed satisfied with what they had learned and gained through the group interaction.

"I think this conference has been fantastic so far. I'm from Cazenovia College in Cazenovia, New York and I usually don't get a chance to exchange ideas with world class scientists, people who are actually here," said participants Phil R. Hamilton. "Overall I must say that I am pleasantly surprised."

"I think this conference is something that is very necessary," said Cornell senior Linda E. Wieselquist. "The issues we are discussing here are crucial to the welfare of society, and we can't have the scientists in one corner and the rest of society in another."

Debates on Privacy