SPIEGEL Interview with Craig Venter: 'We Have Learned Nothing from the Genome' - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International

August 26, 2010

*SPIEGEL:* So the Human Genome Project has had very little medical

benefits so far?

*Venter:* Close to zero to put it precisely.

*SPIEGEL:* Did it at least provide us with some new knowledge?

*Venter:* It certainly has. Eleven years ago, we didn't even know how

many genes humans have. Many estimated that number at 100,000, and

some went as high as 300,000. We made a lot of enemies when we

claimed that there appeared to be considerably fewer -- probably

closer to the neighborhood of 40,000! And then we found out that

there are only half as many. I was just in Stockholm for the 200th

anniversary of the Karolinska Institute. The first presentation was

about the many achievements the decoding of the genome has brought.

Then I spoke and said that this century will be remembered for how

little, and not how much, happened in this field.

*SPIEGEL:* Why is it taking so long for the results of genome

research to be applied in medicine?

*Venter:* /*Because we have, in truth, learned nothing from the

genome other than probabilities. How does a 1 or 3 percent increased

risk for something translate into the clinic? It is useless information.*/

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