Weapon Against Bioterrorism: Life Sciences Code of Ethics

"Unprecedented advances in the life sciences and the potential for the misuse of the scientific enterprise for bioterrorism or biowarfare have created a pressing need for an international consensus on the steps that must be taken to reduce this grave threat to humanity.

Counterbioterrorism measures must include providing ethical guidance--especially for scientists, physicians, scientific institutions, and others engaged in research and development in the life sciences throughout the world. In this Policy Forum [from Science Magazine], an ethical code is proposed that captures the essential aspiration that research and development in the life sciences will seek to do no harm and, where possible, to benefit humankind; extends the prohibitions of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) to the broader scientific research community; specifies actions that scientists and others must take to protect against the misuse of biological agents and dual-use information; and addresses areas of contentious research by incorporating ethics and safety reviews."

The Proposed Code:

"CODE OF ETHICS FOR THE LIFE SCIENCES

All persons and institutions engaged in any aspect of the life sciences must

1. Work to ensure that their discoveries and knowledge do no harm (i) by refusing to engage in any research that is intended to facilitate or that has a high probability of being used to facilitate bioterrorism or biowarfare; and (ii) by never knowingly or recklessly contributing to development, production, or acquisition of microbial or other biological agents or toxins, whatever their origin or method of production, of types or in quantities that cannot be justified on the basis that they are necessary for prophylactic, protective, therapeutic, or other peaceful purposes.

2. Work for ethical and beneficent advancement, development, and use of scientific knowledge.

3. Call to the attention of the public, or appropriate authorities, activities (including unethical research) that there are reasonable grounds to believe are likely to contribute to bioterrorism or biowarfare.

4. Seek to allow access to biological agents that could be used as biological weapons only to individuals for whom there are reasonable grounds to believe that they will not misuse them.

5. Seek to restrict dissemination of dual-use information and knowledge to those who need to know in cases where there are reasonable grounds to believe that the information or knowledge could be readily misused through bioterrorism or biowarfare.

6. Subject research activities to ethics and safety reviews and monitoring to ensure that (i) legitimate benefits are being sought and that they outweigh the risks and harms; and (ii) involvement of human or animal subjects is ethical and essential for carrying out highly important research.

7. Abide by laws and regulations that apply to the conduct of science unless to do so would be unethical and recognize a responsibility to work through societal institutions to change laws and regulations that conflict with ethics.

8. Recognize, without penalty, all persons' rights of conscientious objection to participation in research that they consider ethically or morally objectionable.

9. Faithfully transmit this code and the ethical principles upon which it is based to all who are or may become engaged in the conduct of science."