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2002 L. Rev. M.S.U.-D.C.L. 917 (2002)
Speech Given at the Horse and Buggy Laws Meet Hyper-Speed Genetic Technology Symposium

handle is hein.journals/mslr2002 and id is 933 raw text is: SPEECH GIVEN AT THE HORSE AND BUGGY LAWS MEET HYPER-SPEED GENETIC TECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM Senator Joe Schwarz* 2002 L. REV. M.S.U.-D.C.L. 917 Good evening. I am Joe Schwarz. I am a State Senator and also a physician. I have served in the Michigan Legislature for fifteen years and have considered these questions for all of those fifteen years. In 1997, the Governor appointed the Michigan Commission on Genetic Privacy. I would like to compliment Mr. Cash, who served on that commission, because it was the best gubernatorial commission ever appointed in this state. Ever for me is the twenty years I have been following these things. But I told Ed Goldman, who is general counsel at the University of Michigan Medical Center, and who chaired the commission, as well as the commission members, that this commission did superb work. They produced an accurate report that is readable by people who do not have a scientific background, and I want to congratulate both Ed and all of the other members of this commission on their work. Tonight you have heard a learned lecture on cell minutia and very highly complicated biochemical aspects of genetics, as well as an excellent lecture on bioethics, so I am going to talk about biopolitics. Being in the Legislature, I have had to deal with biopolitical questions for a long period of time. The two party system in this state, and in most other states, is laced with people mostly in one party, but not all in one party, who describe themselves as strongly pro-life. The other party is laced, but not all of the other party, with people who are strongly pro-choice. When we deal with questions like genetic privacy, or with insurance companies, or the legal profession, or individuals, or with institutions of learning, such as Michigan State, or any of the schools in this state or any other state, we try to do the right thing. It may not always seem that way, but I can assure you that legislatures do try. It is difficult if you have a disparate group of 148 people who do not have a scientific background. Few of us have any background in science at all. During my first twelve years in the Michigan Legislature, I was the only physician. Of the * John J. H. Schwarz is a practicing head and neck surgeon in Battle Creek, Michigan, his hometown. After serving as Mayor of the city of Battle Creek from 1985-87, Senator Schwarz was elected to the Michigan Senate and is currently serving his fourth consecutive term. He was elected Senate President Pro Tempore in 1993. Senator Schwarz received his BA degree from University ofMichigan in 1959 and his M.D. from Wayne State University in 1964.

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