THE prospect of the proliferation of bioweapons is so serious that the International Committee of the Red Cross is this week calling on governments and scientists to clamp down on work that could lead to weapons. The appeal is timely, as only this month a lethal pig bacterium unintentionally created by researchers was stolen from a university lab in the US.
The creation of the genetically modified bacterium and its theft show just how easy it is to get hold of dangerous pathogens. The US is already bringing in tough controls on work with potentially dangerous diseases. But even if…
