Global Academy Genome Institute
at the Ibero-American Summit of Governments
Expert Briefing for the Health Ministers Meeting
Panama, October 19, 2000

Sponsor:
Genome Institute
In cooperation with:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Panama
Ministry of Health, Panama
Secretariat of the Ibero-American Summit of Governments
United Nations Development Program

Program Design: Global Academy Institutes in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, Panama

The Genome Institute was invited to convene a panel of experts to brief the health ministers on “Genetic Technology and the Future of Healthcare.”

Presenters:
Renato Gusmao, M.D., Ph.D., program director of communicable diseases, Division of Disease Prevention and Control, Pan American Health Organization
William Hurlbut, M.D., physician and consulting professor, Program in Human Biology, Stanford University and member of the President's Council on Bioethics
Joseph Jacobs, M.D., M.B.A., former director of the Office of Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of Health
Jose Maria Paginini, M.D., DrPH, director, Interdisciplinary University Center for Health at the School of Medical Sciences, National University, La Plata, Argentina
Michael Wohlfeiler, M.D., J.D., medical director, Special Immunology Services, Mercy Hospital, Miami, Florida 

As a direct result of the presentations by the Global Academy-sponsored speakers, the health ministers adopted in their final Summit Document the following resolution:

“Los Ministros y las Ministras de Salud de Iberoamérica nos compromentemos a promover un diálogo internacional entre gobiernos, organizaciones y la sociedad civil, para desarrollar políticas en material de investigación de la biotecnología refernte al genoma humano.”

[The Ministers of Health of Ibero-America commit ourselves to promote an international dialogue between governments, organizations, and civil society to develop policies on the research and application of human genome-related biotechnologies.]

The Global Academy considers this resolution to be of particular importance, because it not only calls for international dialogues on genetic technology, but also does so by expressly referring to making such dialogues multi-sectorial. This bridging of the communication gap between sectors of society, in particular government and civil society is of specific concern of the Global Academy in its stance on international, multi-sectorial, multi-disciplinary dialogue.

Biographies of Panelists:
Renato Gusmao, M.D., Ph.D., is the program director of communicable diseases in the Division of Disease Prevention and Control of the Pan American Health Organization. He is the author of numerous publications and articles in the field of immunology.
William Hurlbut, M.D., is a physician and consulting professor in the Program in Human Biology at Stanford University. After receiving his undergraduate and medical training at Stanford, Dr. Hurlbut completed his postdoctoral studies in theology and medical ethics, first studying under Robert Hamerton-Kelly. Dr. Hurlbut’s main areas of interest involve the ethical issues associated with advancing technology and neuroscience and the integration of philosophy of biology with Christian theology. In January 2002, Dr. Hurlbut was appointed to the President's Council on Bioethics. Dr. Hurlbut has co-taught integrative courses at Stanford with Luca Cavelli-Sforza, director of the Human Genome Diversity Project, and Nobel Prize winner Baruch Blumberg. Dr. Hurlbut also works with the Center for Security and International Cooperation on a project formulating policy on Chemical and Biological Warfare and with NASA on projects in Astrobiology.
Joseph Jacobs, M.D., M.B.A., received his medical degree from Yale University and obtained his MBA at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He served as director of the Office of Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of Health. He has authored and/or contributed to eight books including: Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology, Medical Futility and The Evaluation of Life Sustaining Interventions and Community-Oriented Primary Care: From Principles to Practice.
Jose Maria Paginini, M.D., DPH, is a pediatrician, director of the Interdisciplinary University Center for Health at the School of Medical Sciences, National University, La Plata, Argentina and a visiting professor at the John Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. Dr. Paganini worked for many years for the Panamerican Health Organization/World Health Organization in the Caribbean and Central and South America. He is a co-founder of the International Society for Equity in Health and president of the Argentinean Society for Equity in Health.
Michael Wohlfeiler, M.D., J.D., is medical director, Special Immunology Services, Mercy Hospital, Miami, Florida. He has authored numerous publications on HIV/AIDS including Care of Persons with HIV/AIDS, Challenging the Frontiers of Palliative Care, and Medical Management of AIDS. (top)