Doping & the Child

In April this year, I published a brief commentary about the American Academy of Pediatrics statement on performance-enhancing drugs in sport. This commentary was extended and published in the Sept 10 issue of The Lancet. Full reference as follows:

Miah, A. (2005, Sept 10). "Doping and the child: an ethical policy for the vulnerable." The Lancet 366: 874-876.

UNESCO, Bioethics & Doping

I just saw this press release for the UNESCO General Conference:

15-09-2005 12:00 pm UNESCO’s supreme decision-making body, the General Conference, which meets every two years, will hold its 33rd session from October 3 to 21 at the Organization’s Headquarters in Paris. The session coincides with UNESCO’s 60th Anniversary celebrations and a special ceremony will take place on October 5.

Over 2,000 participants will attend the General Conference including a large number of ministers and several heads of state and of government. (A detailed calendar will be made available shortly.)

Three international standard-setting texts figure on the agenda of the General Conference: a Preliminary Draft of a Convention on the Protection of the Diversity of Cultural Contents and Artistic Expressions; a Draft International Convention against Doping in Sport; a Draft Declaration on Universal norms on Bioethics.

The General Conference will examine and adopt the Programme and Budget for 2006-2007 and prepare the Draft Programme and Budget for 2008-2009. The Conference will also name a Director-General for the next four years and renew half the membership of the Executive Board.

Many other subjects will also be examined, including an assessment and future prospects for the Education for All programme, as well as a strategy for establishing a global tsunami warning system.

In conjunction with the work of the General Conference, a round table on Education for All, aimed at education ministers will be held on October 7-8. A second round table on basic science will be organized for science ministers on the afternoon of October 5. A Youth Forum will take place before the start of the General Conference from September 30 to October 2.


I wonder if there is any connection between the bioethics declaration and the doping in sport convention. I suspect not, but would like to be wrong!

Gene Doping: Human Genetic Technologies and the Future of Sports

Information about an event:

Please join us Oct. 11 for the inaugural talk in our new Genetics Perspectives on Policy Seminars (GenePOPS) series, designed to explore and illuminate some of the critical issues at the intersection of human genetics and public policy. Hosted by the Genetics and Public Policy Center, a partnership between Johns Hopkins University and The Pew Charitable Trusts, GenePOPS will feature some of the nations leading scientists, medical practitioners, policymakers, patient advocates, and ethicists as they discuss issues as wide ranging as genetic privacy, reproductive genetics, gene doping in sports, and safety and efficacy of commercial genetic tests.

Our first program features a panel discussion of the science, ethics, and regulation of genetically enhanced athletic prowess. Are the scientific tools available today to use gene therapy or germline modification to boost athletic performance, and if so, should they be used? Would the procedure be detectable through existing tests?

What kinds of pressures would athletes feel to use gene doping if it were available? Would parents be likely to choose genetic athletic enhancement for their children?

Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2005
Kenney Auditorium, Johns Hopkins University
1740 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
4:00 p.m., reception to follow

PANEL:
Dr. Kathy Hudson, Director, Genetics & Public Policy Center (moderator)
Ms. Melissa Dalio Mierke, Exercise Physiologist and USA Triathlon National Champion
Dr. Tom Murray, Director, The Hastings Center (Chair, Ethical Issues Review Panel, World Anti-Doping Agency)
Dr. Bengt Saltin, Director, Center for Muscle Research, Copenhagen University (Member, Scientific Board, World Anti-Doping Agency)
Dr. H. Lee Sweeney, Chair and Professor of Physiology, Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania

Contact:
Rick Borchelt (202.663.5978); rborche1@jhu.edu )
Audrey Huang (202.663.5979); ahuang18@jhu.edu

Please RSVP to Rick or Audrey at the contact information above.