Fwd: Advice on laws and resources relating to Do It Yourself Biological (DIY-Bio) Research in Australia [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

[Bryan Bishop]

Hmm I just received this. Anyone else?

From: <Shaun....@health.gov.au>
Date: Mon, Dec 10, 2012 at 11:45 PM
Subject: Advice on laws and resources relating to Do It Yourself Biological (DIY-Bio) Research in Australia [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
To: kan...@gmail.com
Cc: Andrew.R...@health.gov.au


Greetings kan...@gmail.com

We understand that you may have an interest in Do It Yourself Biological (DIY-Bio) Research in Australia.  In that context we have attached an important notice from the Gene Technology Regulator.  The Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) provides further information on the regulatory system for genetically modified organisms at http://www.ogtr.gov.au.  

In addition there are a number of other Australian regulatory arrangements which may apply to your interests in DIY-Bio scientific discovery.  This includes, but is not limited to, some of the following suggested resources.

The Security Sensitive Biological Agents (SSBA) Regulatory Scheme at http://www.health.gov.au/SSBA aims to limit the opportunities for acts of bioterrorism or biocrime to occur using harmful biological agents and to provide a legislative framework for managing the security of SSBAs. A number of fact sheets and guidelines are available on the SSBA Regulatory Scheme website, one of which covers the important issue of Dual Use (Fact Sheet 14).

DIY-bio practitioners possess expertise and knowledge that can potentially be exploited for nefarious activities.  We raise this issue to ensure that DIY-bio participants are aware of this possibility and can be cautious to guard against misuse by others seeking to exploit the DIY-bio community.  Please contact the OGTR (phone 1800 181 030) or the National Security Hotline (phone 1800 123 400 or email: hot...@nationalsecurity.gov.au) if you are concerned about suspicious behaviour.

A panel of international scientific academies has endorsed a list of considerations when formulating codes of conduct for responsible scientific research which you might find useful.  This document called the ‘IAP Statement on Biosecurity’ is endorsed by the Australian Academy of Science and provides a collection of principles for carrying out responsible research.  The IAP Statement on Biosecurity can be found at http://www.interacademies.net/File.aspx?id=5401/.

Feel free to contact me by email or by telephone on 02 6271 4224 or Andrew Radanovich on 02 6271 4383 if you would like to discuss these matters.

Kind regards

Shaun Andrews
Assistant Director
Compliance and Investigations Section
Office of the Gene Technology Regulator
Department of Health and Ageing
MDP 54 GPO Box 9848 CANBERRA ACT 2601
15 National Circuit Barton ACT 2600
BH P (02) 6271 4224 | Free Call P 1800 181 030 | F (02) 6271 4202
E: shaun....@health.gov.au |I :http://www.ogtr.gov.au

Important - The Commonwealth Government of Australia recommends that users of this information exercise their own skill and care with respect to their use of this information and that users carefully evaluate the accuracy, currency, completeness and relevance of the material in the email and attachments for their purposes. This information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and users should obtain any appropriate professional advice relevant to their particular circumstances. The material in this email may include the views or recommendations of third parties, which do not necessarily reflect the views of the Commonwealth Government of Australia, or indicate its commitment to a particular course of action.

---

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- Bryan
http://heybryan.org/
1 512 203 0507

[Dakota]

DIY-bio practitioners possess expertise and knowledge that can potentially be exploited for nefarious activities.  We raise this issue to ensure that DIY-bio participants are aware of this possibility and can be cautious to guard against misuse by others seeking to exploit the DIY-bio community.  Please contact the OGTR (phone 1800 181 030) or the National Security Hotline (phone 1800 123 400 or email: hot...@nationalsecurity.gov.au) if you are concerned about suspicious behaviour. 

This sounds like something out of 1984.

Back in my grandfather's day, Chemistry sets were all the rage.  My grandfather and alot of his friends went on to be chemical engineers and fighter pilots, and his chemistry sets were a lot more fun than the ones we have now that just make baking soda volcanos.  They could have done a lot worse, but they didn't.

Just because you CAN do evil with something doesn't mean you will.  Every single day billions of people make their way throughout their lives without murdering their fellow man with the kitchen knife.  Granted, people still do "evil" things all over the world, every day, but one doesn't need to have "expertise and knowledge" to exploit things for nefarious activities.  You could exploit a rock or a stick for nefarious activities, but you don't see people being arrested in the national forests for picking up twigs.

You will NEVER EVER EVER be able to control everyone 100% of the time, and you can NEVER make everyone safe. 

There is a great quote about trying to control safety and peoples exposure to risk, but I can't seem to find it.  Basically it says something along the lines of, in the long run exposing people to risk is no more dangerous than all the effort put in to trying to control it.

So yeah...instead of spending millions trying to control an imaginary threat, give me a couple thousand so I can put the finishing touches on my lab and try to cure cancer and save the world.

For every 1 person trying to destroy the world I like to think there are 1000 trying to save it.

[Mega]

Back in my grandfather's day, Chemistry sets were all the rage.  My grandfather and alot of his friends went on to be chemical engineers and fighter pilots, and his chemistry sets were a lot more fun than the ones we have now that just make baking soda volcanos.  They could have done a lot worse, but they didn't.

Well, people who do science will have at least some intelligence. And those won't risk being killed, or blowing up their homes.
Or, in modern days, handle a viral vector that can transfect mammals in a DIY setting, maybe resulting in cancer (if the body doesn't destroy the transfected cells).