Bioethics in biotechnology: From pain to gain

As the biotechnology industry grows, it will continually rely on the development of new technologies and the innovative use of mature scientific discoveries. These technologies will undoubtedly raise ethical issues challenging both their mode of development and intended use. Biotechnology companies are affected by the public debates and regulatory decisions that will ensure, but the ability of individual companies to address these challenges is, on the whole, insubstantial. Many companies are aware and appreciate the gravity of bioethics issues, but they lack the infrastructure and guidance to approach them. In this essay, a brief analysis is offered to help assess the impact of these issues on biotechnology firms, which is followed by suggested strategies for acting responsibly in the face of these important moral challenges. (c) 2005 Wily-Liss, Inc.