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Preventing Biological Threats: What You Can Do.
Whitby, Simon M. Novossiolova, Tatyana Walther, Gerald
Whitby, Simon M.
Novossiolova, Tatyana
Walther, Gerald
Publication Date
2015-12
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© 2015 The Authors and the University of Bradford.
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Abstract
The outbreak of Ebola in West Africa in 2014 has underlined the risks posed by
outbreaks of highly virulent and deadly diseases, whether caused naturally,
accidentally or deliberately. It also emphasised the responsibility of all those engaged
in the life sciences, whether in government, industry or academia, to ensure that
research is done safely and securely.
This book, Preventing Biological Threats, is intended to raise awareness and
knowledge of biological security of everyone active in the life sciences, ranging from
those engaged in research to those engaged in management and policy-making, both
nationally and internationally. The advances in biotechnology over the past decades
and in the future have brought and will bring significant benefits to humankind,
animals and plants -- however, these advances also bring risks that we need to be
aware of and ensure that they cause no harm.
The continuing debate about the potential danger of carrying out ‘Gain-of-Function’
experiments with highly pathogenic viruses such as avian influenza has brought the
problem of biological security to the attention of many within but also beyond the life
science community. It also has left some of them wondering what biological security
is and how it can be incorporated into the life sciences. What steps should be taken to
ensure that these and other dual use research activities are not misused?
It is being increasingly recognised that biosecurity and biosafety are not only relevant
to activities within a laboratory, but also extend to the effects that these activities can
have outside the laboratory if they result in accidental outbreaks of diseases in
humans, animals or plants.
The international basis for the prevention of the hostile misuse of life sciences is the
Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention which this year, on 26 March 2015, has
been in force for forty years. The Convention was the first treaty to prohibit the
development and possession of an entire category of weapons. At this moment 173
States Parties have ratified the Convention (and the Convention has a further 9
Signatories). At the Seventh Review Conference of the Biological and Toxin
Weapons Convention in 2011, of which I was President, the States Parties agreed on
the need for all those engaged in the life sciences to be involved as key stakeholders
in the protection of their work from hostile misuse, and therefore on the importance of
broad biosecurity education.
This book with its 21 chapters addresses the need for biosecurity education, in six
sections on the history of threats and responses; scientists, organisations and
biosecurity; biosecurity and law enforcement; states and biosecurity; and biosecurity
and active learning. It is a significant and welcome step forward both in its integrated
content and the active learning focus in the associated Team Based Learning
exercises. I am convinced that this approach will help all those engaged in the life
sciences - in government, industry or academia – to become more aware of
biosecurity and of their responsibilities for it.
It is therefore a great pleasure to commend the authors and editors for their work and
the Governments of Canada, Jordan and the United Kingdom for their funding and
involvement in the production of this book under the Global Partnership.
Ambassador Paul van den IJssel
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published version paper
Citation
Whitby S, Novossiolova T, Walther G and Dando M (2015) Preventing Biological Threats: What You Can Do. A Guide to Biological Security Issues and How to Address Them. University of Bradford, Bradford Disarmament Research Centre. 446p.
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Book