1. Campaign Against Human Genetic Engineering
press briefing on the

Human Genome Project, June 14, London

In anticipation of an announcement that the human genome has
been

sequenced, public interest groups in Britain and the U.S. are
working

to inject political and social perspectives into media coverage.

The London-based Campaign Against Human Genetic Engineering
(CAHGE)

will convene a panel of experts for a press briefing on June
14. "In

the excitement about the medical and scientific revolution,
vital ethical

and social issues are being swept under the carpet," says
the invitation

to the briefing. "Many people are concerned that the HGP
may usher in

new forms of discrimination and ultimately, a return of eugenics."

"Dr. Richard Nicholson, editor of the Bulletin of Medical
Ethics,

will argue that the HGP will not help the vast majority of humanity.

The main determinants of health are social and environmental...

"Dr. Margaret Llewellyn of Sheffield University will examine
the

commercial incentives behind human genetics research and the
drive

to patent human genes. Does this serve the interests of patients
and

of science and do we want a small number of companies to control
the

future of medicine?...

"Agnes Fletcher, of the Royal Association for Disability
and Rehabilita-

tion, will look at the potential eugenic implications of the
new genetic

knowledge. For the near future the only application of genetic
informa-

tion will be in prenatal or pre-implantation genetic testing.
Will this

give rise to a new consumer eugenics which attempts to eliminate
disabled

people?...

"Dr. David King of CAHGE will argue that the proliferation
of genetic

tests and the proposed UK gene bank poses threats to privacy
and will

lead to genetic discrimination in insurance and employment."

The CAHGE web site is <http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~cahge>.

2. Exploratory Initiative on the New
Human Genetic Technologies on KPFA

Morning Show, June 14, Berkeley, CA

Claire Cummings, KPFA's food and farming editor, will interview
represen-

tatives of the Exploratory Initiative on the New Human Genetic
Technologies

on the KPFA Morning Show between 8:30 and 9:00 am on June 14.
KPFA,

based in Berkeley, CA, broadcasts at 94.1 FM.

3. Technology and Society Committee,
July 18, Mountain View, CA

A forum on the new human genetic technologies will be hosted
by the

Technology and Society Committee (TASC) on Tuesday, July 18,
from

11:45 am to 1:00 pm. The lunch and forum, open to the public,
take

place at the Golden Wok Asian restaurant at 895 Villa Street,
in

downtown Mountain View, CA. Marcy Darnovsky, of the Exploratory

Initiative on the New Human Genetic Technologies, will speak.