Emerging biotechnologies: full report - Nuffield Council on Bioethics
Emerging biotechnologies: full report - Nuffield Council on Bioethics
Emerging biotechnologies: full report - Nuffield Council on Bioethics
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E m e r g i n g b i o t e c h n o l o g i e s<br />
6.33 At the beginning of 2012, the UK Government established an initiative to produce a synthetic<br />
biology roadmap. 420 The roadmap exhibits a forceful linear narrative, supported by suggestive<br />
evidence (such as the rate of fall in the cost of gene sequencing), and presents a catalogue of<br />
new biotechnology products as virtual faits accomplis, despite the admissi<strong>on</strong> that “Synthetic<br />
biology is still at an early stage of development and relatively unproven”. 421 The purpose of the<br />
roadmap is, of course, to identify the c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s that will produce this linearity (namely the<br />
funding, infrastructure, regulatory c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s, public and political support required) and it duly<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tains a number of recommendati<strong>on</strong>s to this end including building networks and capacity,<br />
investing in transfer to industry, and improving leadership and coordinati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
C H A P T E R 6<br />
6.34 It is very likely that the roadmap’s recommendati<strong>on</strong>s will c<strong>on</strong>tribute, marginally or substantially,<br />
to the reinforcement of synthetic biology as a field of practice with its own identity. However, it<br />
would probably be a mistake to imagine that the c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s recommended to reinforce the<br />
productivity of the field are sufficient to deliver the products described in the <str<strong>on</strong>g>report</str<strong>on</strong>g>. Similarly, it<br />
may also be a mistake to imagine that whatever products are delivered will have required those<br />
c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s in order to be delivered. Nevertheless, the anticipatory paradigm is likely (and is<br />
indeed designed) to exert a measure of c<strong>on</strong>trol <strong>on</strong> the emerging trajectory of synthetic biology<br />
research (and <strong>on</strong> alternative technological and social trajectories). The framing of the animating<br />
visi<strong>on</strong> therefore deserves broad interrogati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
6.35 The clear focus of the roadmap is “ec<strong>on</strong>omic growth and job creati<strong>on</strong>”, 422 although to its credit, it<br />
also addresses issues of resp<strong>on</strong>sible research and innovati<strong>on</strong>, and emphases the importance of<br />
involving diverse social groups in the development of synthetic biology. 423 It is also notable that<br />
the proposed synthetic biology Leadership <str<strong>on</strong>g>Council</str<strong>on</strong>g> will incorporate a broader range of<br />
stakeholders than is normally the case, 424 and will meet at least <strong>on</strong>ce a year in public. 425 This is<br />
a development to be welcomed, although it remains to be seen whether the mechanisms<br />
designed to promote resp<strong>on</strong>sible innovati<strong>on</strong>, such as the cross-domain collaborati<strong>on</strong>s and the<br />
broad background of the Leadership <str<strong>on</strong>g>Council</str<strong>on</strong>g>, are capable of addressing questi<strong>on</strong>s of public<br />
ethics and their associated ambiguities. 426 These include questi<strong>on</strong>s such as: are the social<br />
objectives the right social objectives? Why should we think that synthetic biology is a desirable<br />
(or even acceptable) way of fulfilling the social objectives identified? What should ‘desirable’<br />
mean in this c<strong>on</strong>text (for example: ‘most effective’, ‘safest’, ‘cheapest’ 427 ) and according to<br />
whose standard? What understanding of uncertainties should apply to the prospects of<br />
synthetic biology leading to the outcomes in terms of which its desirability is framed? (We return<br />
to this in the next Chapter.) More importantly, it is unclear (since this is not c<strong>on</strong>templated)<br />
whether these mechanisms would be able to locate the will or mobilise the power to halt<br />
research and innovati<strong>on</strong> trajectories within synthetic biology if it appeared appropriate to do so.<br />
420 See: Willetts D (2012) Our hi-tech future, available at: http://www.bis.gov.uk/news/speeches/david-willetts-policy-exchangebritain-best-place-science-2012.<br />
421 UK Synthetic Biology Roadmap Coordinati<strong>on</strong> Group (2012) A synthetic biology roadmap for the UK, available at:<br />
http://www.innovateuk.org/_assets/tsb_syntheticbiologyroadmap.pdf, p4.<br />
422 Ibid. In fact, the first sentence encountered in the document is “The excellence of the UK research community provides an<br />
opportunity for future ec<strong>on</strong>omic growth.” It c<strong>on</strong>tinues: “Deriving significant benefits also relies <strong>on</strong> the ability of business to<br />
develop products and services and <strong>on</strong> the expectati<strong>on</strong> of a sizeable global market. The Technology Strategy Board<br />
highlighted synthetic biology as an emerging technology meeting all these key criteria and offering particularly str<strong>on</strong>g growth<br />
potential in the UK.” Ibid.<br />
423 Ibid, p21.<br />
424 Social scientists, n<strong>on</strong>-governmental organisati<strong>on</strong>s and other stakeholders are listed as potential members of the Leadership<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Council</str<strong>on</strong>g> in the roadmap <str<strong>on</strong>g>report</str<strong>on</strong>g>. Ibid, p32.<br />
425 Ibid. pp32-3.<br />
426 Ibid, p32.<br />
427 The Roadmap states that a c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong> of the broad public acceptability of innovati<strong>on</strong> in synthetic biotechnology will be that it is<br />
“dem<strong>on</strong>strably directed towards ...soluti<strong>on</strong>s to compelling problems that are more effective, safer and/or cheaper than<br />
existing (or alternative) soluti<strong>on</strong>s.” (Ibid, p19.)<br />
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