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In an open statement, civil society groups, scientists, and academics are challenging the democratic legitimacy of any conclusions or policy proposals that may arise from the 2025 Spirit of Asilomar and the Future of Biotechnology conference currently running from 23-26 February at Asilomar, California.
The statement, which is currently signed by 49 organisations (including GMWatch) and 41 individuals from across the globe, says, “We are at a point in human history when technological developments, including genetic engineering, bioweapons, virological research, synthetic biology and other technologies, carry existential threats to health, the environment, the economy and human society. Questions about how to regulate, restrict, or prohibit these technologies to reduce risk require broad-based, open, transparent and honest debate involving all sectors of society.”
The statement says the latest conference is billing itself as just such an opportunity: “But we reject it as a meaningful path forward, a closed-door event of screened participants geared towards those who stand to gain.” Several scientists who are critical of biotechnology applied to attend the conference but failed to gain admittance.
The statement is being distributed...