The American Medical Association's (AMA's) Council on
Ethical and Judicial Affairs' (CEJA's) new “Guidelines to
Prevent the Malevolent Use of Biomedical Research” are both timely
and appropriate. These guidelines are a product of the increasing
realization of the “dual use” potential of life science
discoveries. Although biomedical research usually aims at the development
of new medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and so on, the very same
discoveries that could benefit humankind in these ways also often have
implications for the development of biological weapons. The CEJA
Guidelines draw attention to this fact and hold that
physician–researchers have responsibilities regarding the uses to
which their discoveries are put. Medical researchers should assess the
likely social benefits and harms of their work and avoid projects where
the latter outweigh the former. Knowledge and the advancement of science
should not be the only aims of scientists; “commitment to public
welfare and safety” are also essential. Toward the aim of preventing
the malevolent use of research discoveries, the CEJA states that
“regulatory oversight” of research (with an eye to potential
harmful uses of potential discoveries), increased ethics education of
physician researchers, and sometimes perhaps even censorship of research
findings, are warranted.