THE human genome has been declared a potential weapon of war. In Geneva
last week, 80 member countries of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention
added 鈥渕olecular biology鈥� and 鈥渁ny application resulting from genome studies鈥� to
the list of technologies, such as genetic engineering, that could possibly be
employed as weapons. 杏吧原创s are worried that aggressors might develop a
disease or poison to which only an enemy is genetically susceptible.
But the meeting failed to agree a deadline to begin monitoring breaches of
the convention, because of opposition from a group of nations including Russia
and India.