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Journal article

Information hazards in biotechnology

Abstract:
With the advance of biotechnology, biological information, rather than biological materials, is increasingly the object of principal security concern. We argue that both in theory and in practice, existing security approaches in biology are poorly suited to manage hazardous biological information, and use the cases of Mousepox, H5N1 gain of function, and Botulinum toxin H to highlight these ongoing challenges. We suggest that mitigation of these hazards can be improved if one can: (1) anticipate hazard potential before scientific work is performed; (2) consider how much the new information would likely help both good and bad actors; and (3) aim to disclose information in the manner that maximally disadvantages bad actors versus good ones.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1111/risa.13235

Authors


More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
HUMS
Department:
Philosophy Faculty
Role:
Author
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
HUMS
Department:
Philosophy Faculty
Oxford college:
Kellogg College
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0001-5636-5402
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
HUMS
Department:
Philosophy Faculty
Role:
Author


More from this funder
Grant:
Horizon2020research
innovationprogram(grantagreementNo.669751


Publisher:
Wiley
Journal:
Risk Analysis More from this journal
Volume:
39
Issue:
5
Pages:
975-981
Publication date:
2018-11-12
Acceptance date:
2018-10-08
DOI:
EISSN:
1539-6924
ISSN:
0272-4332
Pmid:
30419157


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
pubs:943753
UUID:
uuid:fb629f0f-c717-415c-81f1-4f6de215d0a4
Local pid:
pubs:943753
Source identifiers:
943753
Deposit date:
2018-12-17

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