International Genetic Epidemiology Society: Commentary on Darkness in El Dorado by Patrick Tierney

The International Genetic Epidemiology Society (IGES) has examined the char ges against James V. Neel and his colleagues contained in the recently publ ished book by Patrick Tierney entitled Darkness in El Dorado: How Scientist s and Journalists Devastated the Amazon (W.W. Norton, 2000). The book impli cates Neel in causing or promoting an epidemic of measles among the Yanomam o Indians of Venezuela in 1968 leading to "hundreds if not thousands" of de aths by using, a "dinosaur" vaccine (Edmonston B) as a deliberate "experime nt" to test his "eugenic" theories. Tierney also attempts to link this rese arch, funded by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), with a broader tapestry of human radiation experiments. To investigate these serious charges, the IGES undertook a thorough examination of most source documents referenced i n Tierney's book, Neel's field logs, notes, first-hand reports, contemporar y writings, film sound tracks, etc., and conducted interviews with many rel evant persons. The IGES finds that these allegations are false. Neel was no t a eugenicist and was in fact highly critical of both the scientific basis of eugenics and its coercive social policies. In this regard, Tierney has grossly misrepresented Neel's views on a Wide range of social implications of modem civilization for the long-term health of the gene pool. Far from c ausing an epidemic of measles, Neel did his utmost to protect the Yanomamo from the ravages of the impending epidemic by a vaccination program using a vaccine that was widely used at the time and administered in an appropriat e manner. There was nothing experimental about the vaccination program, whi ch in fact severely hindered the primary scientific objectives of the exped ition. Although the research was funded in large part by the AEC, there was no element of radiation research and the work had no connection with the e thical abuses that have been reported from AEC-sponsored radiation research , such as studies of heavy isotopes. Neel's seminal contributions to a broad range of topics in human genetics h ave been extensively chronicled elsewhere. His research on the Yanomamo in particular has provided unique insights into the evolutionary biology of ou r species, the role of sociocultural practices, such as kinship relationshi ps and selective pressures in shaping the genetic diversity of primitive po pulation isolates, as well as the general picture of health in such populat ions. The IGES decries the damage done to the reputation of one of its foun ders and its first President and the misperception this book may have cause d about the conduct of research in genetic epidemiology. Ethical issues abo ut scientific research in primitive populations deserve serious and wide di scussion, but the IGES condemns the gross misrepresentation of the facts an d demonization of the principal characters in this book.(1) (C) 2001 Wiley- Liss, Inc.