Medical Biotechnology : Achievements, Prospects and Perceptions

For many people, biotechnology means genetically modified organisms, alien species, toxic weapons, or hormone-treated beef. Yet it is also a tool to control plant and animal pests, preserve species, utilize genetic resources for health and nutrition, and protect the environment. Society's ability to manage, share and regulate advanced biotechnology offers many opportunities and raises many challenges and risks. This book explores the issues of advanced biotechnology and examines the progress made in recent years. It looks at the drivers of medical and pharmaceutical biotechnology development in the United States, the European Union and Japan. It describes the biotechnology tools to fight major global health concerns such as Ebola fever, the human immunodeficiency virus, the SARS virus and the Avian flu virus, as well as regulatory concerns and public perceptions. Professor Sasson also provides a state of the art analysis of the progress of selected developing countries in fostering their own bio-industries. He examines some of the most controversial areas of medical biotechnology, including issues such as stem cell research and gene therapy and some of the ethical issues they raise.

Albert Sasson is a senior visiting professor at the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies. He has had a distinguished career as a scientist and scientific advisor and he was Assistant Director-General of UNESCO from 1993 to 1996. Sasson is an associate member of the Club of Rome and holds a number of honorary appointments and degrees, including an appointment by the King of Morocco as a Member of the Human Rights Consultative Council.