Culture of responsibility

The current crisis with the Ebola virus vividly illustrates the priority that must be given to infectious diseases because of their potentially devastating consequences to individuals and to society. Few would argue against the need for more research on Ebola and the expedited development of a cure;...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2014-09, Vol.345 (6201), p.1101-1101
Main Authors: Berkelman, Ruth L, Le Duc, James W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biomedical Research - ethics
Communities
Culture
Cures
Dangerous
Disease control
Ebola virus
Epidemics
Ethics, Research
Humans
Pathogens
Public health
Risk
Safety
Social Responsibility
Viral diseases
Viruses
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Summary:The current crisis with the Ebola virus vividly illustrates the priority that must be given to infectious diseases because of their potentially devastating consequences to individuals and to society. Few would argue against the need for more research on Ebola and the expedited development of a cure; however, recent incidents in biocontainment laboratories and the proliferation of such facilities globally raise concerns about safety and have split the scientific community. Scientists who defend research on dangerous pathogens as vital to protecting populations are opposed by those who fear the potential devastation caused by the intentional or unintentional release of pathogens from the lab. Achieving a “culture of safety,” so often alluded to after recent lapses in biosafety procedures, demands adopting a “culture of responsibility” as well.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1260424