RESUMO
Microbes and their toxins are biological weapons that can cause disease in humans, animals or plants, and which can be used with hostile intent in warfare and terrorism. Biological agents can be used as weapons of mass destruction and therefore, immense human and social and major economical damage can be caused. Rapid development of life sciences and technologies during the recent decades has posed new challenges to the Biological Weapons Convention. The Convention states that the States Parties to the BWC strive to ensure that the Convention remains relevant and effective, despite changes in science, technology or politics.
Assuntos
Armas Biológicas , Guerra Biológica/prevenção & controle , Guerra Biológica/tendências , Cooperação Internacional , Armas de Destruição em Massa , HumanosRESUMO
The 9/11 terror attacks, followed by mailing of letters containing anthrax spores, changed our comprehension on threats towards modern society. Finland is committed by international treaties to develop biosafety and biosecurity legislation, and general awareness of the legislation. However, the rapidly developing field of biosciences cannot be extensively regulated by legislation. Awareness of the risks and challenges involved in handling of biological agents is an important tool in threat prevention. Despite active efforts to update the legislation by government authorities, currently the sustenance and development of biosecurity are primarily in the hands of individual researchers and the scientific community.