The Human Genome Project shows that 99.9 percent of the human genome is the same in everyone regardless of race. Based on this, many scientists argue that 'race' has no biological meaning and is used to perpetuate harmful social inequities. Others contend that racial groups can genetically differ from one another and that the differences can have medical importance.
How valid is the concept of race from the biological standpoint? Should race matter or should medicine be colorblind? How much should doctors and researchers place on the role of race in health issues?
Scientists presented the scientific basis of race and human variation. In this light, panelists offered different viewpoints on the science and policy of racial categorization in medical research and disease treatment.
Professor of Anthropology; Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Excellence and Equity; and Vice Provost for Conflict Resolution at the University of California, Riverside
The Importance of Race and Ethnic Background
in Biomedical Research and Clinical Practice, by Esteban González Burchard, M.D., Elad Ziv, M.D., Natasha Coyle, Ph.D., Scarlett Lin Gomez, Ph.D.,
Hua Tang, Ph.D., Andrew J. Karter, Ph.D., Joanna L. Mountain, Ph.D., Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, M.D.,
Dean Sheppard, M.D., and Neil Risch, Ph.D. New England Journal of Medicine. 348;12. march 20, 2003.
The Human Genome Project shows that 99.9 percent of the human genome is the same in everyone regardless of race. Based on this, many scientists argue that 'race' has no biological meaning and is used to perpetuate harmful social inequities. Others contend that racial groups can genetically differ from one another and that the differences can have medical importance. 
