Experts Debate Biological Weapons Challenges

The meetings of experts of states-parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) on August 7-16 discussed the potential for abuse of advances in gene-editing technology, along with other issues related to the treaty that bans biological arms. The sessions in Geneva addressed sensitive issues inc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Arms control today 2018-09, Vol.48 (7), p.35-36
Main Author: MACKBY, JENIFER
Format: Magazinearticle
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological & chemical weapons
Biological weapons
Cooperation
Epidemics
Genomes
Meetings
NEWS & ANALYSIS
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Summary:The meetings of experts of states-parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) on August 7-16 discussed the potential for abuse of advances in gene-editing technology, along with other issues related to the treaty that bans biological arms. The sessions in Geneva addressed sensitive issues including genome editing, benefits and risks of rapidly advancing biotechnology, a model voluntary code of conduct for biological scientists, and assistance to states-parties facing a biological attack. The BWC meetings of experts had been routine annual events until the treaty's eighth review conference in 2016, when delegations were unable to agree on a work program. Such gene-editing tools can be used to benefit agriculture, the environment, and human health, although they also may be used for hostile purposes, such as in producing biological weapons.
ISSN:0196-125X
1943-5754