Essay --

Ethical Issues Regarding Genetic Engineering and the Threat of Biological Weapons â€Å"advances in biotechnology ... have the potential to create a much more dangerous biological warfare threat ... engineered biological agents could be worse than any disease known to man.† (Central Intelligence Agency) Recent developments in genomics and biotechnology are unquestionably creating a range of political, environmental, and ethical challenges for developed societies. They also have the potential for harsh repercussions for international peace and security. These advances open up great avenues for the invention of new biological weapons. Genetically engineered â€Å"superbugs,† which can be resistant to antibiotic treatments and can be highly lethal, are only the beginning to this concern. The possibility of designing completely new biological weapons on the foundation of existing biomedical research have proved to be much more disturbing. Weapons that have been created for modern kinds of conflicts and warfare situations, secret operations, or missions involving sabotage, are more and more becoming a reality that we have to deal with (van aken). New instruments and techniques for investigating and altering an organism's genetic material have resulted in an increased danger of biowarfare (van aken). The circumstances where the outcomes of scientific research, which was at first well-intentioned, can be used for both good and harmful purposes give rise to what is now commonly known as the â€Å"dual-use dilemma.† It is an ethical problem since it is about promoting good, while at the same time has the potential for also causing injury and destruction. It is a dilemma for the person performing the research because of the actions of other people that... ...o doubt that more technical possibilities will arise in the years to come. With these new discoveries comes the potential for military abuse too. Because it is currently so easy to not only research but transport anything internationally – including genetically engineered disease organisms along with human and animal vectors – scenarios of plagues and disease outbreaks are not that distant. (Dudley) International and local efforts to increase investigation, detection, and reporting of disease pathogens, and to better understand the dynamics of disease transmission within and among populations will greatly enhance our ability to combat the effects of bioweapons and emerging diseases (Dudley). Following an ethical code of conduct, and promoting awareness of the real danger of biological weapons are just a couple things that scientists can do to help deter the threat.