W A S H I N G T O N, June 26 A landmark announcement is expected this morning: scientists are set to confirm that they have cracked the genetic code, unlocking the secrets of human DNA.
　　
　　 Experts consider the decoding of the human gene structure to be one of history’s great scientific milestones, sort of the biological equivalent of landing on the moon.
　　 “It’s a watershed event in science,”said Jeremy Rifkin, author of The Biotech Century.
　　 And it took five years less than expected.

Major Announcement
　　President Clinton is expected to announce the breakthrough this morning at the White House. Representatives from the two rivals racing to complete the project  publicly funded Human Genome Project and the private Celera Genomics are expected to attend.
　　 But Celera Policy Planning Director Paul Gilman concedes that the human genome it has assembled contains gaps. A complete genome, with all 3.1 billion chemical units assembled in proper order, might not be finished for years.
　　 Each genome contains 30,000-100,000 genes containing the basic information that makes us who we are: the color of our eyes, our intelligence, the disease to which we are susceptible and more. Some 3.1 billion pieces of DNA make up human life.
　　 Doctors and scientists may be able to use this information to create new drugs and treatments, and even cure disease. Scientists may be able to tell whether someone has the gene for Parkinson’s disease, for example, and then prescribe a treatment.

Real Benefits Years Away
　　But while the project took ten years, any cures could be many more years away.
　　 And this information comes with a price tag: Celera is already charging drug companies, $5 million to $15 million for access to the data.
　　 “The next step is a mad rush by companies all over the world to locate every single gene inside the mall, because these genes are the most valuable resource of the 21st Century,”said Eric Lander, director of the Whitehead Center for Genome Research
　　 Pharmaceutical companies are particularly interested in identifying the genes for diseases such as asthma and cancer, which could yield lucrative treatments. And some companies have even begun to patent their research.

Privacy Concerns
　　But while information about our genes could be helpful, some implications are disturbing and dangerous. Genetic information has been used by some companies when hiring.
　　 Legislation now being considered in Capitol Hill would guarantee genetic privacy.
　　 “What we need to make certain is that people have access to this information without being afraid of losing their health insurance,”said Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-New York.
　　 Others also worry about the bigger questions.
　　 “I’m concerned that some day we may decide to start modifying the human genome to think that we can do better than the genome,“Lander said.

The Sequence of Life
　　Decoding the genome involves placing in correct order the 3.1 billion base pairs, or subunits, that make up human DNA. This DNA contains some 50,000 genes, but no one knows the exact number.
　　 Once the genes are identified, researchers then must identify the proteins made by those genes, determine the function of that protein in the body and then devise therapeutic drugs.
　　 The public gene-sequencing program is a joint effort of the national Human Genome Research Institute at the NIH, the Department of Energy, the Wellcome Trust in Britain, the Whitehead Institute in Cambridge, Mass., the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, along with contributions from researchers in Germany and Japan.
　　 Dr. Francis Collins, head of the National Human Genome Research Institute, said deciphering the genome will eventually revolutionize medicine, but it will be decades before the full benefits are realized.