DNA probes. Fruits of the new biotechnology

F. E. Young
Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, Md. 20857.

The emergence of recombinant DNA technology in the 1970s has given rise to new diagnostic techniques based on DNA probes. The Food and Drug Administration's interest in these probes stems from its regulatory responsibilities regarding DNA probes as medical devices. The agency also sees DNA probes as valuable tools in meeting its mission of identifying, preventing, and resolving public health problems, especially in the area of food safety. The development of DNA probes for genetic diseases is raising medical and ethical questions that must be addressed by the medical community, whose ultimate responsibility must be to see that this new technology is used wisely, appropriately, and correctly.