| Biological
warfare: Threat from mutant viruses,
superbugs, and other organisms
 More
on biological warfare experiments - Video here
 The
thought of catching a cold and then getting cancer is horrifying.
Such a scenario has come a big step closer - British scientists
trying to make new mutant superbugs out of human cancer genes and
viruses closely related to strains causing common cold.
Although designed to help find cancer cure, the possibility
of accidental escape is alarming. Even more worrying is the thought
that a hundred similar or more dangerous experiments may be going
on that we have yet to find out about with military or terrorist
use as biological or chemical weapons of mass destruction.
Licences are granted every week for work that many might find distasteful,
unethical, or dangerous - humanising pigs or fish with extra genes,
or releasing new microbes into the environment. This is work few
want to talk about for fear of public reaction.
The British government admitted in mid 1998 that
more than a million people were sprayed from the air in secret
germ warfare tests during the 1970s. The strain used was a "harmless"
e-coli bacterium together with bacillus globigii. 150 miles of
coastline and land 30 miles inland was exposed.
Any human, animal, insect or plant gene can now
be added to any microbe - Hundreds of such experiments every day
- Same technology for human cloning, designer babies, superveg
or superbreeds used to make superbugs.
Superbugs most powerful gene inventions of all.
Each new strain has ability of massive biochemical factory - able
to make complex substances like human insulin in a mere test-tube.
Other strains have power to destroy. Researchers need dangerous
viruses to develop vaccines and find cures.
Fears over safety justified however - same University lost control
of smallpox virus in 1978 - woman died - near catastrophe only prevented
because hospital staff immunised against smallpox years ago - national
vaccination now stopped - similar escape in ten years time could
cause huge epidemic.
Escapes happened before - in 1973 smallpox virus
was released by laboratory in London - two died. In 1985 workers
at the same laboratory narrowly missed death when smallpox ampoules
were found lying in a biscuit tin in a fridge - dated 1952 but
still deadly. Accidents happen.
No vaccine against many new mutant microbes - potential for use
as weapons - Porton Down Biological Warfare laboratory is worried
- intensive efforts to prepare for germ warfare defence revealed
in letter from Director of Porton Down (Parliamentary written answer).
Fears of biological weapons in Gulf War - repeated
claims by servicemen of possible exposure - long term effects on
people and environment - Second World War experiment with anthrax
spores on Gruinard Island in Scotland - uninhabitable for fifty
years. Porton Down holds germ weapon stocks to test protective suits.
Hard to predict danger from mutant bugs - most are
not infectious, harmless and perish fast after release - experiments
with soil bugs in agriculture - but limited field trials found
released microbes can survive in fields and lakes - unauthorised
release already happening on small scale.
Gene changes in one country have potential to affect a whole continent,
and ultimately the planet as a whole.
Medical disaster is one thing, perhaps a highly
infectious version of HIV, or a new cancer epidemic. Environmental
contamination is another. Microbes can travel fast in dust, in
water, on car wheels, on clothing, on animals.
Risks regarded as very low by most experts - but
price of serious error impossible to imagine.
Already MPs calling for Gene Charter covering ethical
and safety issues. Each new headline on gene research show how
current legislation is running years behind the technology.
However little point in controls if scientists can get on a plane
and continue deadly experiments elsewhere. Nothing less than international
agreement will do. In most countries of the world much more dangerous
experiments are permitted than the ones banned in Britain this week.
A world summit on biotechnology is urgently needed.
Should scientists be
told when to stop? Web TV
Biological warfare video
The Truth about the
Iraq War
Why the War with Iraq is a sign of a new world order and what it
all means for the future of the Middle East, America, Europe, United
Nations and the coalition against terror
Terrorism - can the War against Terror be won?
Dirty bombs - risk
from low grade nuclear devices and terrorism
"The
Genetic Revolution" - full text of book by Dr Patrick Dixon
Book
Chapter on Biological Warfare
Germ Warfare
Dr Patrick Dixon is also author of thriller
The
Island of Bolay about germ warfare use by a terrorist group.
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