Reflections on the Ethical Challenges of Bioterrorism

The issue of bioterrorism has been considered by researchers in various fields. One of these fields is the ethical aspects that some governments have also considered, so that in the conferences reviewing the Convention on Biological Weapons, there has always been an emphasis on guaranteeing ethical performance. Therefore, in discussions about bioterrorism, it is important to know how ethics regard bioterrorism. Accordingly, the present article examines the challenges of bioterrorism from an ethical perspective.

This is a descriptive-analytical study using library and other available resources to investigate the ethical challenges of bioterrorism. The methodological approach of the present study is based on describing the current situation and critique and analysis of some views. Ethical Considerations: In all stages of writing the article, honesty and trustworthiness have been observed and all materials taken from other scientific works are accompanied by accurate references.

The findings of this article indicate that bioterrorism faces several ethical challenges, the most important of which are: 1. Dual-use research that is likely to be misused; 2. The framework and scope of bio-defense in the face of the public rights and public freedoms of citizens; 3. Paying attention to the health of care providers in the face of bioterrorism attacks.

Rules of conduct and codes of ethics can complement the legal rules in the field of bioterrorism and be effective in preventing the phenomenon of bioterrorism as part of the UN and states criminal policy. Therefore, it is suggested for Iran to develop comprehensive and specific rules of conduct and ethical codes in each field of medical sciences by experts of related institutions, and preparing appropriate mechanisms for their implementation.