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Francis
Collins and Craig Venter NASKEAG POINT, Maine, Sept. 11 /PRNewswire/ Craig Venter of Celera Genomics and Francis Collins of the National Human Genome Research Institute are recipients of the first "ALPHA-1 VIKING EXPLORERS" award by the Alpha-1 Alliance on Naskeag Point, Maine where the Viking "Norse Penny" was discovered in 1957. The Alpha-1 Alliance is the unified voice for Alpha-1, an often-fatal genetic adult onset lung and liver disease. The Alpha-1 Alliance declared Dr. Collin's and Dr. Venter's "scientific breakthrough in mapping of the human genome and opening up the biotech frontier for new preventive diagnoses and treatments. Equally important, they have demonstrated visionary leadership in addressing the societal issues of the human genome -- genetic discrimination and genetic privacy." Dr. Collins stated, "The Alpha-1 community is doing wonderful things to promote research, public awareness of genetics, and the importance of providing protections against genetic discrimination." The Alpha-1 Alliance welcomes the cooperative relationship that these leading scientists have forged between the private and public sectors and said, "Speed matters to patients with a fatal genetic disease and working together we can find solutions more quickly." Ten million Americans are carriers of the Alpha-1 gene. National Geographic's September issue published a letter stating that Alpha-1 originated in Scandinavia and during the Viking exploration was spread throughout northern and eastern Europe. Today, this Viking legacy, widely underdiagnosed, affects perhaps as many Americans as cystic fibrosis. The Alpha-1 Alliance calls for early testing of Alpha-1 and other predictive genetic diseases, but unfortunately, early detection is a Catch-22. Genetic privacy is important to assure that Americans are not denied employment or insurance. We must protect the genetic privacy of individuals if we are to realize the benefits of decoding the human genome. The declaration took place at the Goddard site on Naskeag Point located in Brooklin, Maine. At the time the Norse coin arrived, the site was one of the most important native trade centers in northeastern North America. The ALPHA-1 VIKING EXPLORERS award celebrates the millennium anniversary of the Vikings' arrival in North America and the warrior-explorer spirit of these visionary human genome leaders. The co-founders of the Alpha-1 Alliance are the Alpha-1 Association (patient lay advocacy) and the Alpha-1 Foundation (medical research).
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