National SeriesLecture 1
IntroductionPakistan
Bradford Disarmament Research CentreDivision of Peace Studies, University of Bradford, UK
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Outline
1. Where we are in the early 21st century
2. Outline of the following lectures
a) What we should know (learning outcome)
b) What we can do (policy contribution)
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What is “Life Science”?
• “Any field of science that is leading to or has the potential to lead to an enhanced understanding of living organisms, especially human life.”
• E.g. Biology, proteomics, genetic engineering, nanotechnology, aerosol technology, chemistry and mathematics
(National Research Council, 2006: 27)
• Applied in:Public health, Medicine, Agriculture, Energy, Environment and National security studies
Biotechnology: An integral part of national strategy in the 21st Century
Region Annual Worth Share
North America $204 Billion 51%
Europe $102 Billion 25%
Japan $47 Billion 12%
Asia, Africa, Australia $32 Billion 8%
Latin America $17 Billion 4%
A growing market in Biotechnology: the pharmaceutical market (National Research Council, 2006: 85)
• Similar results in number of researchers and the amount of private investment for R&D in the life sciences
• Rapid growth in the Asia-Pacific region
(Ernst&Young 2011, Frost&Sullivan 2010)
Pakistan: Life science outlook
• Approximately 27 research institutes
• The government has invested “about US$ 17 million in research and development”
• “The National Commission on Biotechnology was established in 2001 as an advisory body to the Ministry of Science and Technology to monitor developments in the field and recommend appropriate policy measures.”
(Ahmed 2011)
Item
2011 Ranking 45
2005 Ranking 58
Ranking Change 13 (up)
2011 Regional Ranking 3 (S. Asia)
2005 Regional Ranking 3 (S. Asia)
Hits in PubMed 258
PubMed Ranking 42
Hit in Espacenet Not available
Espacenet Ranking Not available
Combined Ranking 42
Source: (BWPP 2011)
Global publication ranking
Pakistan: Life science outlook
Pakistan Academy of Sciences (PAS)
Was established in 1953 to promote science and technology, disseminate scientific knowledge and honour eminent scientists primarily through their election as fellows. There are currently 90 fellows and 40 foreign fellows. The Academy awards medals and prizes to scientists for their distinguished contributions to various scientific disciplines. In addition to having exchange programmes with scientific societies, academies and learned bodies in several countries, the Academy also publishes a scientific journal and monographs on topics of national interest. It also arranges seminars, symposia, conferences and workshops at national and international levels.
(IAP 2012)
Why do we care? Should this be an issue for us?
The dual-use nature of science and technology:
– “Every major technology — metallurgy, explosives, internal combustion, aviation, electronics, nuclear energy — has been intensively exploited, not only for peaceful purposes but also for hostile ones.”
– “…Must this also happen with biotechnology, certain to be a dominant technology of the twenty-first century?”
Matthew Meselson: Professor of Molecular Biology at Harvard University
(Meselson, 2000: 16)
Hostile
Peacefu
l
Meselson’s Forecast in 2000
Ability• “Our ability to modify fundamental life processes
continues its rapid advance”
• “We will be able not only to devise additional ways to destroy life but will also become able to manipulate it”
Dilemma• “…[This has a] Vast potential for beneficial application
and could have inimical consequences for the course of civilization.”
Meselson’s Forecast in 2000
“At present, we appear to be approaching a crossroads —a time that will test whether biotechnology…”
• It will come to be intensively exploited for hostile purposes, or• Our species will find the collective wisdom to take a different course.
Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC)
1972
Article I • “Each State Party to this Convention undertakes never in any
circumstances to develop, produce, stockpile or otherwise acquire or retain:
• 1. Microbial or other biological agents or toxins whatever their origin or method of production, of types and in quantities that have no justification for prophylactic, protective or other peaceful purposes.”
• This applies for not only states but also non-state actors
Science and Security: Dual-Use
The need for a broader conceptualisation of dual-use• Biological agents and toxins can be used for hostile purposes without
weaponization and technology is typically diffused globally for peaceful purposes
• Hostile use can take the form of criminal acts or terrorist acts (non-state level) in parallel to military application (state level),
• The BTWC prohibits the misuse of the life sciences by both states and non-state actors
Dual-use: broader concept Peaceful Non-peaceful
Dual-use: traditional conceptMilitary Civilian
Pakistan with international regimes
WMD• “There is no reliable, publicly available information to suggest that
Pakistan has biological or chemical weapons.”
BTWC• Signature (10 April 1972); Ratification (25 September 1974)• “The United States reported in 1996 that Islamabad had been
‘conducting research and development with potential BW applications.’ It is not known whether this potential has since been realized.”
CWC• Signature (13 January 1993); Ratification (28 October 1997)• “Islamabad has apparently made no admissions in its treaty-mandated
declarations of having possessed chemical weapons”
(Nuclear Threat Initiative 2012)
National Series: Lecture Outline
2. Biosecurity Threats 3. The Web of Prevention
4. National Measures5. Responsibility of Scientists
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• ‘No single focal point’ of threats– Potential actors, material and information, which can be related to dual-
use issues, exist at international, regional, national, local and individual levels.
Unpredictable future of the life sciences
Reviewing threats (Lecture 2)
Manmade threats: warfare, crime and terrorism
Safety/accidental risks at laboratories
Natural outbreaks of infectious disease
To address natural outbreaks of infectious disease• Public health preparedness and response planning
To address safety/accidental risks• Laboratory regulations to safely manage dangerous pathogens and toxins, to
prevent an accidental release into the environment and unauthorized access
To address manmade threats• Strong international arms control agreements with effective national
implementation • Internationally coordinated export controls • Intelligence• Biodefense
To address the unpredictable future of the life sciences• Oversight: Review of security-sensitive science and technology developments• Responsible conduct in research through education
The Web of Prevention (WoP) (Lecture 3)
Web of prevention
Public health measures
Laboratory measures
International prohibition
regime
Export control
Intelligence
Biodefense
Oversight and review of Sci-Tech
Responsible conduct
Natural threats
Safety risks
Governance of science
Manmade threats
National implementation (Lecture 4)
To National Context
National implementation (Lecture 4)
1• International agreements
2• Signature and ratification by states
3
• National measures in states• Legislation, regulation, order or other forms
of governance
Worldwide engagement of life scientists with the WoP will:
• Effectively strengthen biosecurity measures by requiring the engagement of practicing scientists
• Prevent unnecessary restriction of scientific freedoms
• Education of, and capacity building among, scientists on biosecurity issues is necessary for successful security
• Uninformed scientists = no effective science policy inputs to the WoP
Engagement of informed life scientists about biosecurity issues is key to successful security
The need for responsible conduct in research(Lecture 5)
Biosecurity: definitive issues
The term “biosecurity” has been conceptualised differently across various scientific and professional disciplines
• Areas: The term has been used in ecology, agriculture, food supply, arms control and public health contexts, with different meanings and conceptualisations
• Policy processes: these overlap with interdisciplinary areas such as biosafety, counter-terrorism, agricultural biosecurity and biodiversity
• Linguistic: In addition to these conceptual complications, “biosecurity” has also experienced linguistic complications
(Fidler and Gostin 2007, Sunshine Project 2003, Barletta 2002)
National Series:WoP = Biosecurity Education = Biosecurity Competency
References
• The references cited in this lecture are viewable in the Notes section of this presentation.