The Ethics and Biosecurity Toolkit for Scientists

This book is designed to be an easy-to-use guide to understanding the ethical and biosecurity implications of life science research. It provides a framework that will enable scientists, lab managers, researchers, students and teachers to anticipate how research may be used to cause harm, and to identify the steps that can be taken to minimise this risk.

Life science research is covered by two international weapons treaties and the tools presented in this book will help scientists and researchers to meet their responsibilities under these conventions. This book will help you:

• Assess real and potential risks in relation to your work
• Identify and implement a range of relevant ethical principles that need to be considered in your work
• Use an ethical framework to protect your work from misuse by others.

If you've never been sure of how ethics relates to your work this toolkit will help you understand the challenges you do indeed face. Real-world case studies of biosecurity risks and failures will help scientists and all those who work to support science at all levels come to a new understanding of the widespread potential for misuse of research in the life sciences. By asking the questions set out in this book, scientists will be better able to recognise and reduce these risks. This framework is designed to be useful for senior scientists as well as students, and all researchers in between.

Contents:

• Why Do We Need Biosecurity Ethics in Science?
• Dual Use Awareness as Part of Biological and Chemical Security
• Risks and Responses Fit for the 21st Century
• Ethics and You: What Does It All Mean?
• The Ethics Toolkit 1: Ethics as Other People's Rights
• The Ethics Toolkit 2: Ethics as Your Responsibilities to Others
• How and When to Apply and Review Ethics in Practice
• Still Not Convinced That You Need to Address Bio-Chemical Security in Your Work?
• Closing Thoughts

Readership: Professional scientists, contract researchers, principal investigators, project leaders, journal editors, funders, tutors or students of the sciences.