THE NEW GENETICS AND WOMEN

The U.S. Human Genome Project (HGP) is a federally funded effort to pr oduce a detailed genetic and physical map of all human chromosomes. Be cause of their central role in reproduction and caregiving, women are likely to be affected differently, and more significantly, by the info rmation the HGP generates. It is important to identify inequities that may emerge from gender differences and to consider ways in which they may be avoided, reduced, or overcome. Although this type of analysis is one of the goals of the Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues Program o f the National Center for Human Genome Research, few studies have focu sed explicitly on the impact of the HGP on women. This article describ es the potential impact of the ''new genetics'' on women. Identificati on of gender differences as they affect both research and clinical pra ctice and the psychosocial, legal, and ethical implications of the HGP should evoke and inform public discussion and policies that may be ge nerated by these issues.