Ethical Issues Facing Science and Technology

Asian Bioethics Association/UNESCO Eighth Asian Bioethics Conference (ABC2007) 19-23 March 2007, Century Park Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand. Ethical Issues Facing Science and Technology Yongyuth Yuthavong Minister of Science and Technology, Thailand New Paradigms of Science and Technology knowledge for knowledge sake with applications assumed to application-oriented science and technology.  From “Science, the Endless Frontier” to “Society, the Endless Frontier”  From Science and Technology Change Faster than Light!  Twenty  years ago The computer was expensive and inefficient  Gene engineering was mostly fiction  Ten  years ago Mobile phones and the Web were only starting The word “nanotechnology” was almost unknown  Science and technology are moving faster than understanding of implications to society. Issues on accessability  Both more and less “The Digital Divide”: Division between those with resources for access to digital technology, which produces greater resources.  BUT “The World is Flat”…  liberation  Information technology penetration/open-sourcing  Outsourcing/supply-chaining  Networking  The playing field is levelled.  Political The “Biotech Divide”  The divide between those who can and cannot access biotechnologies As consumers or producers  Within the Thai society  Between Thailand and developed countries  Between Thailand and less developed countries  Similar to the “Digital Divide”  Forerunner of the “Nanotech Divide”?  Safety of New Products: Biosafety and Nanosafety  Concerns about safety For the consumers  For the environment   Biosafety GMOs  Cloning and stem cells application    Nanosafety  Health concerns for nanoparticles New products must take safety issues into account Has science and technology created a GODZILLA? or many of THEM? Issues for Ethical, Social and Legal Considerations in Biotechnology  Cloning:    Therapeutic tissue/organ cloning (cost and equity> technical>moral) Whole organism cloning (moral>technical) Deciding factors: embryonic vs adult stem cells, failure rates, risks of complications, eg. cancer, long-term issues Pharmacogenomics (cost and equity) GMOs (biosafety vs benefits) Deciding factors: consumer benefits vs costs, understanding of long-term effects of GMOs on the environment  Genomics:    Fukuyama’s Concerns F. Fukuyama:How far do we let biotech go?  Current regulatory bodies are inadequate to deal with future choices, eg.  Manipulating genes which modify behaviour.  Using drugs which alter moral character.  Extending life, impacting on economies, international relations, and new ideas generation.  Creating “designer babies”.  Issues for Ethical, Social and Legal Considerations in Energy Technology Pollution from oil, gas and coal  Production of greenhouse gas from burning: global warming  Technologies for reducing greenhouse gas: risks and benefits  Threats to biodiversity and environment from renewable technologies (wind turbines, solar panels, waves)  Nuclear material storage and waste  Beloved Sun Duang Athit Thee Rak      Reading for Form 5 of secondary school students: 2070, the next full eclipse over Ayudhya, Thailand The sun has become the main source of power Solar panels are set above houses, so that darkness prevails all day long Rather than enduring permanent eclipse on the ground, the heroine broke the law by climbing up to see the real eclipse Ethical, Social and Legal Implications: Risk management  Types of risks Technical risks (environment, consumers).  Public perception (political) risks.  Market risk.   Management of risks Risk and benefit analysis.  Reasonable Precautionary Principle.  Risk prevention and mitigation.  Ethical, Social and Legal Implications: Intellectual Property Management  Ownership of, and sovereignty over, genetic resources: natural and developed further by human efforts.  Indigenous people (Farmers’ rights). Countries (Biodiversity Convention).  “Common property of mankind” (free use of natural resources, but restricted by patents for modifications).  Back to Godzilla     The monster came out from its peaceful territory as a consequence of repeated nuclear bomb experiments. A young scientist found a way to destroy Godzilla Unfortunately his invention could also be used as a weapon of mass destruction. To solve the dilemma, he decided to burn all his documents and end his own life by facing Godzilla under water. Can our biotechnologist be as brave? Future Directions: Towards Good Governance in Science and Technology More concerns and discussions on ethics of science and technology by laypeople and scientists alike.  Voluntary Codes (Guidelines) of Conduct on issues involving risks or ethics by scientists, industries, professional societies, etc. (cf. 1973 voluntary moratorium on genetic engineering).  New laws may be enacted, but a good sense of balance is needed.  Future Directions: Towards Good Governance in Science and Technology (cont) Role of government:  Oversees development and capability strengthening in both technical and social, ethical issues in science and technology.  Set up regulations and laws as necesssary, making sure of having a healthy balance.  Role of civil societies (NGOs)/scientists  Help to make the public understand issues in various aspects, not just lobby on single issues.  Future Directions: Towards Good Governance in Science and Technology (cont)  Role of education/research institutes  Acquire knowledge and understanding on issues interfacing between technology and society.  Help to generate healthy debates among various stakeholders and the public. … economics can be substantially enriched by paying more attention to ethics, and …the study of ethics can also benefit from a closer contact with economics. Amartaya Sen Science and technology can be substantially enriched by paying more attention to ethics, and the study of ethics can also benefit from a closer contact with science and technology. Thank you