POLITICAL correctness is holding back scientists’ ability to use genetic technology to help the human race, one of the scientists who unravelled the structure of DNA said yesterday in the 50th anniversary week of the discovery.

James Watson, who with Francis Crick identified that DNA was wrapped into a double helix, said that spurious objections from left-wing and religious groups were slowing the pace of the medical advances that rely on genetics.

Any prospect of using genetic modification to advance human health, he said, was being blocked because the technology is seen as “against socialism”, and religious campaigners feared that such research was “offending the gods”. That “unholy” alliance was feeding a public mood of scepticism about genetics that could make it harder for scientists to develop treatments for cancer and prevent inherited disease.

“I think our society thinks it is somewhat immoral to use genes to improve the human race,” Professor Watson, president of Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory in New York, said. “I think you should be able to do all you can to improve human life.

“We don’t know how to genetically enhance humans yet — we’re trying to enhance mice now — but there are some people who see genetics as against socialism. It confuses things. I would use it wherever I could improve human life.

“I don’t see genetics as offending the gods, as I don’t think there are any gods out there. What’s wrong with a woman wanting to have a healthy child? Does that give her an unfair advantage over people who have an unhealthy child? I don’t think so. It doesn’t make common sense.”

The Nobel laureate, who was speaking at a gala dinner at London Guildhall last night, held in honour of his discovery, did not confine his criticism to the political Left.

President Bush, he said, had taken a disappointing attitude to modern science, particularly with a decision to block federal funding for research into embryonic stem cells.

“I’m lucky because I had a better upbringing (than President Bush),” Professor Watson said. “I had a father who didn’t instil religion in me. They say our President actually believes this. They also say it’s about expressing his desire to get re-elected.”

Professor Watson, 75, who published details of the structure of DNA in Nature on April 25, 1953, has stirred controversy with his support for pushing the limits of genetic science. He has also recently opposed a ban on human reproductive cloning.

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