European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 04, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                It s it but these and other advances which make simple blood tests available to identify people at greatest risk of developing certain diseases also raised concerns that genetic information might be misused for employment or insurance discrimination. It can be thought of As your future diary said Boston University s George Annas a medical ethicist. Written in code that we Are breaking every Day and. Tells you what probably will happen in terms of your health in the  the discoveries also have a real Impact on families afflicted by a genetic disease. Researchers from the University of California at san Diego said the incidence of Tay Sachs disease dropped by More Thap 90 percent from 1970 to 1985 As a direct result of genetic screening. In addition to identifying fetuses with genetic defects simple blood tests help identify couples at greatest risk of having children with genetic defects. Ethicist also were challenged when Fertility doctors at George Washington University in Washington , created 48 human embryos from 17 original ones in an Experiment they hoped would Lead to techniques to help infertile couples have children. Reports of the Experiment revealed at a scientific meeting in october led to protests by people opposed to genetic manipulation. A poll showed a majority of americans were uncomfortable with the Prospect of human cloning. Among other medical developments in 1993 an outbreak of a mystery disease first identified in the four Corners area of the Southwest United states struck at least 50 people in 14 states. The . Centers for disease control counted 29 deaths As of . 20, blaming them on a previously unknown Han tavirus infection passed from tiny Deer mice to humans. An australian doctor suspended his practice after epidemiologists determined four women were infected with the human immunodeficiency virus which causes aids after he performed minor surgery first on an his infected Man and then the four women. Investigators suspected the virus was transmitted via a Scalpel handle that had not been sterilized using the most effective method. Doctors also reported the first two known cases of his transmission within a household. One occurred when a brother apparently shared a razor with his his infected Haemophilia a brother. The other was attributed to a child coming in Contact with an his infected child s blood from a nosebleed or a sore in his Mouth. The National cancer Institute revised its breast cancer screening guidelines urging regular mammography starting at age 50 instead of 40, while studies linked alcohol consumption and exposure to pesticides such As Dot to development of breast cancer. Public health experts detected what they considered a disturbing trend among teens and Young adults to disregard precautions against aids despite awareness of the disease and How to prevent infection. Businesses and communities enacted anti smoking policies after the . Environmental Protection Agency declared that secondhand tobacco smoke is a Carcinogen and responsible for cancer deaths and respiratory diseases especially among children. The space shuttle endeavour blasts off on its successful Hubble Telescope repair Mission. Space program ends year on a High Jack Kevorkian remained in the Center of a debate Over assisted suicide. By Irene Brown United press International buoyed by the riveting drama of the Hubble space Telescope repair Mission Nasa closed 1993 with Hopes of Par laying its Success into political and financial momentum for the troubled space station program now planned in partnership with Russia. The new year also will Challenge North american space administration managers to continue flying the shuttle safely and productively with less Money. The space Agency has scheduled eight shuttle missions in 1994 a flight rate achieved Only once in the Post challenger Era. The record number of shuttle missions for a year was nine in 1985 the year before challenger exploded after liftoff. We demonstrated this year that we can still Fly Safe and successful missions said Robert Sieck director of the Kennedy space Center in Cape canaveral Fla. The seven shuttle launches of 1993, culminating in the High profile Mission to repair the myopic Hubble Telescope did not come easily. Because of technical problems including four launches aborted less than 30 seconds before liftoff and bad Luck with the weather Nasa needed 17 launch countdowns to achieve seven flights. It took Only nine countdowns for eight launches in 1992. Nasa s reputation also suffered a blow with the loss of the $1 billion Mars observer spacecraft which mysteriously fell silent on aug. 21 Only Days before it was to reach orbit and begin its Mars observations. On the same Day the National oceanic and atmospheric administration lost a newly launched goes weather satellite. The space Agency also had problems developing the next generation of . Weather satellites a project now three years behind schedule and More than $1 billion Over its original budget. Ongoing workforce reductions and other budget cutting measures will not help managers attempts to maintain the shuttle flight schedules experts said. Already the first planned Mission for 1994 has slipped a week from Jan. 27 to feb. 3, in part to Cut overtime expenses. The february Mission will be the first time a russian cosmonaut has Ever flown on Board a . Spacecraft. Money also will be the dividing line Between space station supporters and opponents who clashed about every other month in 1993 Over proposals to kill the International outpost. The station remodeler nearly every year since it was approved in 1984, now includes the russian space Agency and its orbiting Mir space station along with Japan Europe and Canada. The heightened foreign policy implications stemming from russian participation Promise to complicate debate Over the space station program which has already consumed about $9 billion. Just before the Deal with the russians was announced Congress approved a cheaper $19 billion plan but even that is under review. Nasa managers Are counting on a Wake of Good will from the successful Hubble Mission to ease space station criticism. Russian technicians prepare a spacesuit to be worn during a joint Mission with the United states. Tuesday january the stars and stripes 21