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Scientists: Bioweapon Convention Needs Teeth
S Y D N E Y, Jan. 11 -- Australian scientists whoinadvertently created a killer mouse virus said todaythe global Biological Weapons Convention must be giventeeth to prevent such discoveries falling into the wrong hands.
The scientists, using technology that could be applied tobiological warfare, had been seeking a biological contraceptiveto halt mouse and rat plagues when they genetically modified avirus akin to smallpox with fatal results — for mice.
Annabelle Duncan, who was deputy leader of a U.N. teamwhich investigated biowarfare agents in Iraq after the GulfWar, said the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention (BCW) urgentlyneeded updating.
"It's not that you shouldn't do the research because you'regoing to cut off a lot of beneficial discoveries … it's makingsure that it's very, very hard for anybody to abuse theresults," she told Reuters.
"At the moment the convention says don't make biologicalweapons," she said. "There's no way of policing it, so if youthink somebody is cheating you can't do anything about it."
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Duncan is molecular science chief at the CommonwealthScientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), whichcreated the virus.
The genetically modified mouse virus, revealed by NewScientist magazine on Wednesday, is harmless to humans but itkills mice by wiping out part of their immune system.
Its creators say that the same technique could be used tomake human diseases such as smallpox even more lethal.
New Scientist said the discovery highlighted a growinginternational problem — how to stop terrorists usingscientific research to create deadly new weapons.
A total of 140 countries have ratified the BCW pact, arelic of the Cold War which bans the development, productionand stockpiling of bacteriological and toxin weapons.
Negotiations to strengthen the convention have made slowprogress over the past four years. Duncan hoped member stateswould agree to set up a U.N.-backed body with policing powersto monitor biological research.
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