|TOP|Last week the Church of England warned that the patenting of the human genome could mean the creation of a “genetic underclass”.

Canon John Ashe claimed that diagnoses of foetuses would reignite the eugenics debate, and would allow parents the option to have an abortion if a disorder was revealed by genetic information.

Canon Ashe, Moving a Guilford Diocesan, told that the Church had a vital role in speaking out for justice and responding to scientific development by holding onto the belief that God values every individual, irrespective of human diversity.

Canon Ashe said “This is a subject of crucial importance to humankind...It is a conversation in which the Church has a great deal to say – and yet we have, to a large extent, stood on the sidelines while a race is going on for control of this new science.”

|AD|He continued by calling upon the Church to take a stand against allowing property rights to be bestowed upon what is a naturally occurring material and perpetuates injustice.

The Right Reverend Ian Brackley, Bishop of Dorking said that: “The human genome is gifted to humanity and so should not be patentable.”

In response to the view that more detailed and informed debate was required within the Church, the Church voted for an amendment from Dr Phillip Giddings.

The amendment called upon the Mission and Public Affairs Council to explore the theological, ethical and legal implications raised by the patenting of the human genome. The Council is to deliver a report back to next year’s Synod.