Minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2000
Tue, 16 August 2005
2nd meeting
NUFFIELD COUNCIL ON BIOETHICS
WORKING PARTY ON GENETICS AND HUMAN BEHAVIOUR
Minutes of the Meeting held at the Nuffield Foundation 28 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3JS on Thursday 14 December 2000
PRESENT
Professor Bob Hepple (Chairman)
Dr Tom Shakespeare
Professor Tom Baldwin
Professor Martin Richards
Professor Anita Thapar
Professor Andrew Wilkie
Professor Terrie Moffitt
Professor Sandy McCall-Smith
Professor Annette Karmiloff-Smith
SECRETARIAT
Sandy Thomas
Tor Lezemore
Susan Bull
APOLOGIES
Professor Martin Bobrow
Dr Paul Pharoah
Mr Pushpinder Saini
CHAIRMAN’S INTRODUCTION
1 The Chairman welcomed Tom Shakespeare to his first meeting.
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 1 NOVEMBER (RECIRCULATED)
2 The minutes of the last meeting were approved as correct.
MATTERS ARISING
3 The Working Party were reminded that any suggestions or comments on the proposed public consultation should be addressed to the Secretariat in advance of the next meeting, at which a draft consultation document would be presented.
TERMS OF REFERENCE
4 The terms of reference were finalised.
DISCUSSION OF MEMBERS’ CONTRIBUTIONS
5 There was some discussion of the history of eugenics and the shadow this cast over current genetic research.
6 The research methods of behavioural genetics research were outlined, including family studies, twin studies, adoption studies and association studies. The techniques and methodologies of molecular behavioural genetics were also summarised. Some possible problems with the research methods were identified.
7 Some potential practical applications of behavioural genetics research were described, including genetic and non-genetic interventions. The issues of stigma and discrimination were discussed.
8 A summary of the current state of research into genetics and antisocial behaviour was presented. It was noted that while there were currently few studies using a molecular genetics approach, the amount of research in this field was increasing dramatically and it was probable that this situation would change during the lifetime of the Working Party.
9 The Secretariat would gather information about the current state of research in each of the areas listed above and draft summaries, with the assistance of Working Party members. The next meeting would begin with consideration of the ethical, legal and policy issues.
PRESS LAUNCH AND NEWSNIGHT
10 The Working Party would be mentioned on Newsnight on BBC2 on 5 January in an item about behavioural genetics research.
MEMBERSHIP OF THE WORKING PARTY
11 It was agreed that a neuroscientist should be invited to join the Working Party. Professor Nick Rawlins at the University of Oxford would be invited.
FOLLOW UP TO THE MENTAL DISORDERS REPORT
12 Members of the Working Party were asked to inform the Secretariat if there were any queries about this paper.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
13 The next meeting would be from 11.30am to 4.30pm on Wednesday 7 February 2001.
Last Updated Tue, 16 August 2005