As an industry, biotechnology may be likened to the Hymn Book, being both ancient and modern. Whereas activities such as baking, brewing, the fermenting of foods date from our earliest attempts to control and utilise the environment, the application of recombinant DNA technology is recognised as being at the forefront of novel industrial development. Perhaps because of its association with processing foodstuffs together with the benefits derived from applications in the early organic chemistry and pharmaceutical industries, biotechnology has been regarded as being inherently safe. Yet unlike other modern industries, such as chemical and nuclear, where regulation has followed from incidents or accidents, modern biotechnology has been subject to close scrutiny and regulation almost from its inception. The process of regulation itself is somewhat unusual in that it was initially self-imposed by the very scientists who developed the fundamental techniques of recombinant DNA technology. They recognised the signific ance of their development but were concerned of the effects on humans and the environment of uncontrolled application of the new, powerful technology. Concern about the possible consequences of genetic manipula tion has undoubtedly been the driving force behind the regulations that are now in place in many parts of the world and which are the subject of this book. Safety issues in the biotechnology industry can be categorised under three headings: worker, environmental and consumer (product) safety.

Biosafety deals with prevention of large scale loss of biological integrity focusing both on ecology and human health. It is related to several fields such as ecology, agriculture, medicine, chemistry and ecobiology. Bioethics is the philosophical study of the ethical controversies brought about by advances in biology and medicine. It is concerned with the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, law, philosophy and theology. It is concerned with the nature of life and death, the kind of life to be considered worth living, what constitutes murder, how people in very painful circumstances should be treated, what are the responsibilities of one human being to others, and other such living organisms. The book has been divided in 28 chapters. It is an integrated approach to encompassing information on different aspects of bioethics and biosafety and their applications in biotechnology. Simple, clearly understandable illustrations, correct and up to date information's are the main features of this book. The book is intended not only for undergraduate and postgraduate students of biotechnology, genomics and related sciences, but is also aimed to draw attention of policy makers and teachers at national and international levels to the possible approaches in the field of biotechnology. Key Features: Covers the topics in depth from basic and deals with the key subject areas. Takes a broader view of the earlier and current situation indifferent countries. Gives the uses and their ethical aspects of the different technological developments made in the biotechnology fields. Covers new developments in wider areas of biotechnology and its applications to mankind. Deals with aspects of the Bioethics and Biosafety protocols and their implements. Briefs the Indian Biodiversity Act.

In recent years much has happened to justify an examination of biological research in light of national security concerns. The destructive application of biotechnology research includes activities such as spreading common pathogens or transforming them into even more lethal forms. Policymakers and the scientific community at large must put forth a vigorous and immediate response to this challenge. This new book by the National Research Council recommends that the government expand existing regulations and rely on self-governance by scientists rather than adopt intrusive new policies. One key recommendation of the report is that the government should not attempt to regulate scientific publishing but should trust scientists and journals to screen their papers for security risks, a task some journals have already taken up. With biological information and tools widely distributed, regulating only U.S. researchers would have little effect. A new International Forum on Biosecurity should encourage the adoption of similar measures around the world. Seven types of risky studies would require approval by the Institutional Biosafety Committees that already oversee recombinant DNA research at some 400 U.S. institutions. These "experiments of concern" include making an infectious agent more lethal and rendering vaccines powerless.

This forum is associated with the Fifth Annual World Bank Conference on Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development, held at the Bank, October 9-10, 1997. How to maximize the potential of biotechnology while minimizing risk is a critical issue facing scientists and policymakers and was the topic of the conference. The special focus of the debate was on how the promises of biotechnology can be realized for the benefit of the world's poor, the environment, and the safe management of biotechnology products and processes. This publication summarizes the wide-ranging, stimulating, and provocative presentations and discussions that took place during the meeting.

With over 40 contributions from negotiators, stakeholders and analysts of the biosafety talks, this book provides a unique insight into the international process that led to the adoption of the Biosafety Protocol in January 2000. The contributors trace the evolution of major negotiating positions; examine key elements of the treaty; and highlight the Protocol's implications for trade, development and environmental policy and law.

Biosafety in the Laboratory is a concise set of practical guidelines for handling and disposing of biohazardous material. The consensus of top experts in laboratory safety, this volume provides the information needed for immediate improvement of safety practices. It discusses high- and low-risk biological agents (including the highest-risk materials handled in labs today), presents the "seven basic rules of biosafety," addresses special issues such as the shipping of dangerous materials, covers waste disposal in detail, offers a checklist for administering laboratory safetyâ€"and more.

Between 1973 and 2016, the ways to manipulate DNA to endow new characteristics in an organism (that is, biotechnology) have advanced, enabling the development of products that were not previously possible. What will the likely future products of biotechnology be over the next 5â€"10 years? What scientific capabilities, tools, and/or expertise may be needed by the regulatory agencies to ensure they make efficient and sound evaluations of the likely future products of biotechnology? Preparing for Future Products of Biotechnology analyzes the future landscape of biotechnology products and seeks to inform forthcoming policy making. This report identifies potential new risks and frameworks for risk assessment and areas in which the risks or lack of risks relating to the products of biotechnology are well understood.

The recent advances in the field of biotechnology have brought into focus several ethical and safety issues. The inventions in the field of genetic engineering and related fields of molecular biology will affect not only ourselves but the plants, microorganisms, animals and the entire environment and the way we practice agriculture, medicine and food processing. An increase in our ability to change life forms in recent years has given rise to the new science of bioethics . While anti-biotechnology activists are over rating the risks of biotechnology, it is time for the scientists to make a scientific and objective analysis of the social issues involved, and make it known to the public who will, otherwise, be carried away by the emotional rhetoric by the less informed but highly vocal section of the society. The present book discusses the biosafety and bioethical issues the modern society confronts. Topics such as biotech development, impact of biotechnology on biosafety, biotech products and ethical issues, governance of biosafety, environmentally responsible use of biotechnology, etc., are describe in detail. This book is destined to become an essential reading for students, teachers and professionals in all fields of life sciences.

During July 10-13, 2011, 68 participants from 32 countries gathered in Istanbul, Turkey for a workshop organized by the United States National Research Council on Anticipating Biosecurity Challenges of the Global Expansion of High-containment Biological Laboratories. The United States Department of State's Biosecurity Engagement Program sponsored the workshop, which was held in partnership with the Turkish Academy of Sciences. The international workshop examined biosafety and biosecurity issues related to the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of high-containment biological laboratories- equivalent to United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention biological safety level 3 or 4 labs. Although these laboratories are needed to characterize highly dangerous human and animal pathogens, assist in disease surveillance, and produce vaccines, they are complex systems with inherent risks. Biosecurity Challenges of the Global Expansion of High-Containment Biological Laboratories summarizes the workshop discussion, which included the following topics: Technological options to meet diagnostic, research, and other goals; Laboratory construction and commissioning; Operational maintenance to provide sustainable capabilities, safety, and security; and Measures for encouraging a culture of responsible conduct. Workshop attendees described the history and current challenges they face in their individual laboratories. Speakers recounted steps they were taking to improve safety and security, from running training programs to implementing a variety of personnel reliability measures. Many also spoke about physical security, access controls, and monitoring pathogen inventories. Workshop participants also identified tensions in the field and suggested possible areas for action.

Considerations of this nature have often overshadowed the benefits these countries might derive from the application of genetic engineering.