Biotechnology, Weapons and HumanityBiotechnology, Weapons and Humanity traces the historical development of biological weapons and considers the role of health care professionals, scientists, governments, and international agencies in limiting and managing the effects of new biological weapons. In particular, the strengths and weaknesses of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention are examined, and steps that can be taken to minimize the risk of the proliferation of weapons. This report considers whether new biological weapons, made possible by the mapping of the human genome, could be incorporated into the arsenals of states and terrorist organizations. How might the revolution in biotechnology be used to attack the genetic constitution of a national or ethnic group, or enhance the virulence of organizations hostile to human health? |
Contents
Recent advances in genetics | 4 |
to 1969 | 17 |
A typology of future biological warfare | 30 |
The impact of biotechnology | 33 |
The Soviet offensive BW programme | 44 |
Genetic weapons | 53 |
Fact or fiction? | 66 |
The international norm that biological weapons | 73 |
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agreement anthrax arms control Article attack Bacillus anthracis Background Paper bacteria Bacteriological Biological biological agents Biological and Toxin biological warfare biological warfare programme Biological Weapons Convention biological weapons programmes biotechnology botulinum toxin British century chemical and biological Chemical Weapons Convention concern Dando deterrence Disarmament effective enhance ethnic Fourth Review Conference gene therapy genetic engineering genetic weapons Geneva Protocol genocide Hoc Group Human Genome Project Infectious Diseases Iraq's Ishii Shiro mass destruction measures military modern biotechnology molecular monitoring negotiations offensive biological warfare offensive biological weapons organisations organisms Paper presented Parties pathogens Pearson GS populations possible potential Production and Stockpiling Prohibition Proliferation of Biological Rickettsia Scientific and Technological sequences SIPRI Soviet spores Stockpiling of Bacteriological Strengthening the Biological Table target Technological Developments Relevant terrorist threat Toxin Weapons Convention Treaty United Nations UNSCOM Verification Protocol virus Washington DC weapons of mass Wheelis World Yersinia pestis