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By Category: Policy & Initiatives

The nuclear, biological and climate threat – 2011 reviewed

(EurekAlert!) Gerald Epstein, director of the Center for Science, Technology, and Security Policy (CSIS) of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, says that 2011 saw progress on approaches to address biological threats posed by non-state groups at both the Seventh Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) Review Conference and the G8 Global Partnership Against the Read More »

January 9, 2012
| Filed under Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Middle East, North America, South America, South Asia, Biological Weapons, Biotechnology, Bioterrorism, Countermeasures, International, and Policy & Initiatives
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An Engineered Doomsday

(New York Times) In the future, it is imperative that any such experiments be rigorously analyzed for potential dangers — preferably through an international review mechanism, but also by governmental funding agencies — before they are undertaken, not after the fact as is happening in this case. The most frightening research was done by scientists Read More »

January 9, 2012
| Filed under North America, Biological Weapons, Biotechnology, International, Policy & Initiatives, Public Health, and Research
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Experimenting with oversight with more bite?

(Practical Ethics) It was probably hard for the US National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) to avoid getting plenty of coal in its Christmas stockings this year, sent from various parties who felt NSABB were either stifling academic freedom or not doing …

January 9, 2012
| Filed under Europe, North America, Biotechnology, Policy & Initiatives, and Research
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Debate Persists Over Publishing Bird Flu Studies

(NPR) A federal advisory board has urged scientific journals not to publish the research from two labs that have developed an airborne flu virus. Microbiologist Vincent Racaniello discusses why the move sets a bad precedent. Biosecurity expert D.A. Henderson talks about the risks of publishing the research. This is SCIENCE FRIDAY. I’m Ira Flatow. Our Read More »

January 9, 2012
| Filed under Europe, North America, Agents & Toxins, International, Policy & Initiatives, and Research
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State, area health officials stay on guard against viruses

(Sacramento Bee) The terrorist attacks and anthrax scare of 2001 gave them warning that they should plan for a sudden and fierce outbreak of disease, and the swine flu pandemic of 2009 gave them practice. Yet there is no way to prevent an influenza pandemic from coming …