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Al-Ahram Weekly 20 - 26 July 2000 Issue No. 491 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 20 - 26 July 2000 Issue No. 491
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters A genetic nag
By Mohamed Raouf Hamed*
Public opinion was surprised less by the results of the Human Genome Project than by the reasons behind Egypt not participating in it. From the comic perspective, there were national concerns about the uncovering of negative Egyptian genes hitherto hidden from the rest of the world. But according to the renowned genetics professor Ahmed Mostagir, as quoted in Salama Ahmed Salama's daily column, the actual reason was that "there would have been no point, since the results were published as soon as they were reached and could be made use of without costing the government a single penny."
The nagging question remains -- to participate or not to participate, which of the two would have brought the greatest benefit? No valid answer, be it positive or negative, can be reached in the absence of a policy on science. Once a policy is implemented, "yes" implies the desire to absorb and benefit from the technologies that are employed by other, greatly advanced nations. "No," on the other hand, means favouring the current stasis, due to calculations that dictate that a national organisation whose job of taking in and making available the results of the project is enough.
But in the third -- the present -- case, neither "yes" nor "no," whether in answer to the Human Genome Project or to any other endeavour, can mean much. Time passes in the negative, and no positive outcomes are to be expected. The nagging question remains -- why does Egypt not have a national policy on science? Let us remember that it is impossible to sail before knowing one's direction.
* This week's Soapbox speaker is a professor of pharmacology.
