STATEMENTS BY THE PUBLIC Statement by: Dr. John Cavanaugh-O'Keeffe American Bioethics Advisory Committee DR. CAVANAUGH-O'KEEFE: Got it. Yes. Thank you very much, Doctor. I wanted to issue an invitation, with a quick preamble. I was very much intrigued by Dr. Rhetaugh Dumas' question yesterday, or challenge to the Commission, why is it that it's so difficult? What are the underlying issues? As we look at protection of human subjects, is there something that's not on the table? Why is it that this, which appears to be simple, in fact, becomes radically complicated very quickly? It did seem to me that at least one of the underlying issues is the issue that Ms. Kramer mentioned this morning, and that's the question of trust or lack of trust. What came to mind for me was the issue of spina bifida research. During the second World War, spina bifida nearly disappeared in Great Britain, but for the next 50 years researchers looked for the genetic predisposition for it. Almost all, 99 percent of research on spina bifida from World War II until about two years ago, was a complete, total waste of time. Nearly everybody who was born with spina bifida, or 90 percent, after World War II need not have been born with that condition. If anybody had looked at what happened 50 years ago, what they would have found is that it can't be a genetic predisposition if it disappeared during a war. What happened in Britain? It was only fairly recently that people looked at that and realized that, during the war, the British were on rationing and were eating government-made bread which had Vitamin A added. That need not have waited 50 years. I think that it is fair for people to be extremely angry at a research establishment which, for 50 years, ignored a cure that was staring them in the face. So I think that the question of trust is the underlying issue that Dr. Dumas was looking for. Responding in a tiny way to that, I wanted to issue an invitation. That is that on January 23 there is a Pro-Life college group from the midwest that will be sponsoring a protest in front of the offices of the National Bioethics Advisory Commission dealing with the issue of human cloning. They've invited me to come speak there, and I said that I would. But I would also really urge that anybody from the Commission who would like to come out and talk with these folks, I'd really urge you to come out and do so. I think that they would make room for you on the program, if you wished to do that. But whether you want to speak or just listen, I'd really urge you to respond in some kind of way. Doctor, thank you very much. CHAIR CHILDRESS: Are there any questions, comments? (No response) CHAIR CHILDRESS: Just a question for clarification. The focus of the protest would be the report or -- DR. CAVANAUGH-O'KEEFE: The issue of human cloning, responding, I think, to the NBAC's Human Cloning Report. CHAIR CHILDRESS: And you say that's going to be held -- DR. CAVANAUGH-O'KEEFE: That will be January 23. It's in conjunction with the Rowe v. Wade protest of January 22. This will be the next day. CHAIR CHILDRESS: Any questions on this? (No response) CHAIR CHILDRESS: All right. Thank you very much. And Dr. David Shore of the National Institute of Mental Health.