Ethics Federal Activity Updated November 29, 2012
Scientific, Religious, and Civic Engagement
Maintain an ongoing exchange regarding the views of religious, civil society, and other groups on synthetic biology and related emerging technologies, sharing their perspectives with the public and with policymakers. Scientists and policy makers in turn should respectfully take into account all perspectives relevant to synthetic biology.
Recommendation
Scientists, policymakers, and religious, secular, and civil society groups are encouraged to maintain an ongoing exchange regarding their views on synthetic biology and related emerging technologies, sharing their perspectives with the public and with policy makers. Scientists and policy makers in turn should respectfully take into account all perspectives relevant to synthetic biology.
Activities
Federal
- Department of Energy (DOE)
- In November 2010, DOE, in collaboration with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Woodrow Wilson Center, held a two-day, multi-stakeholder workshop, Issues Arising from Synthetic Biology: What Lies Ahead? A workshop report is available and a post-workshop, online survey was also used to explore what important ethical, legal, or social issues or questions need to be addressed in the field of synthetic biology.
Non-Federal
- Scientists, policymakers, and religious, secular, and civil society groups
- Representatives of 58 organizations in 22 countries wrote a 2010 letter to the Chair of the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues stating their objection to the proposed recommendations. Specifically, these organizations considered the recommendations “an inadequate response to the risks posed by synthetic biology."
- Friends of the Earth published the September 2010 report, Synthetic Solutions to the Climate Crisis: The Dangers of Synthetic Biology for Biofuels Production, which addressed concerns with using synthetic biology to develop next-generation fuels.
- The Friends of the Earth published Principles for the Oversight of Synthetic Biology, a March 2012 declaration endorsed by over 100 organizations, calling for the precautionary principle in synthetic biology governance and a moratorium on the release or commercial use of the technology pending further risk research.
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