News Releases
Government Home Search Sitemap Contact Us  


NLIS 3
May 2, 2000
(Health and Community Services)


The following statement was issued today by Roger Grimes, Minister of Health and Community Services. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

Genetic Research in Newfoundland and Labrador

In recent months there has been much attention on genetic research in Newfoundland and Labrador. Accordingly, I would like to take this opportunity to inform honourable members of the status of genetic research in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The province�s population descended from approximately 20,000 people who originally settled in Newfoundland in the 1800s. Because immigration to the province has been limited since the first settlement, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are descended from this original group of settlers. From a practical perspective, it is easier to find and trace diseases if there are no other genes or families affecting the gene pool.

There has been extensive genetic research done on some diseases by investigators at Memorial University, namely cancers and heart conditions that exist in the province. These investigators are bound by strict guidelines for the ethical conduct of human research.

There has also been some research done by people coming into the province and studying the DNA of families without following up with these families as to the outcomes of the studies. For this reason in particular, it is important that the province move forward with policies and standards regarding all genetic research in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The province hired Dr. Verna Skanes, retired Assistant Dean of Research and Graduate Studies at the Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University, to prepare a report on issues arising from the commercialization of human genetics research. It should be noted that Dr. Skanes is also a member of the Standing Committee on Ethics of the Medical Research Council of Canada. Today, I have requested Dr. Skanes to release this report to our key stakeholders for their input and further discussion. The report is part of government�s process of gathering information and identifying relevant issues such as research ethics, legal protection for the research participants, informed consent, and privacy and confidentiality issues. These will need to be explored further in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, Dr. Skanes report will give people a sense of the issues that will be dealt with, including for example, the establishment of a provincial research ethics board.

It is our plan to put in place policies and standards around genetic research later this year. In doing this, we will review the experiences of countries like Iceland and we will examine the policies governing the Human Genome project being carried out in Canada and throughout the world. The province has also appointed Ms. Beverley Clarke, Assistant Deputy Minister of the Policy and Program Services Branch of the health department, as our representative to the national committee being established by Health Canada to examine genetic issues across this country.

I will keep honourable colleagues up to date as matters progress on this subject.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Copies of the report are available by contacting Carl Cooper, Director of Communications, (709) 729-1377.

2000 05 02                                     2:25 p.m.


SearchHomeBack to GovernmentContact Us


All material copyright the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. No unauthorized copying or redeployment permitted. The Government assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any material deployed on an unauthorized server.
Disclaimer/Copyright/Privacy Statement