But contemplating potential new bioweapons raises deeply worrying possibilities that return us to the problem of how to ensure ethics in scientific research. For instance, "synthetic biology" involves the creation of living material from its DNA components, so that we can re-engineer life in the manner of our choosing. The technology making this possible will most likely become common within the next two years at a substantially reduced cost. Safeguards such as a moratorium on such developments or registering the equipment needed to implement them should be considered.
There are ancient taboos on the use of "poison or plague" as weapons or for warfare, and doing so has long been stigmatized in many cultures and prohibited by customary international law and international treaties. The taboo is the companion to the sacred: that which we regard as sacred we protect with taboos.
We have lost both concepts in relation to much conduct in our contemporary world, but we urgently need to re-find them in relation to the new possibilities opened up by the life sciences if we are to continue to respect all life, especially human life. The challenge is no less than to prevent the life sciences from becoming the death sciences. That will require complex, multiple, varied, and integrated responses from a very wide variety of sources at individual, institutional, societal, and global levels.
Above all, it will require integrity, honesty, trust, courage, and sometimes restraint. This is no small order at the level of international relations and cooperation.
Margaret Somerville is professor of law and of medicine, the Center for Medicine, Ethics and Law at McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
Copyright: Project Syndicate
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