Flores-Coronado Jose Alonso, Alanis-Valdez Alondra Yamileth, Herrera-Saldivar Maria Fernanda, Flores-Flores Aldo Sebastian, Vazquez-Guillen Jose Manuel, Tamez-Guerra Reyes S, Rodriguez-Padilla Cristina
Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Laboratorio de Inmunología y Virología, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, Mexico.
Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2025 Jul 28;13:1649781. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2025.1649781. eCollection 2025.
The dual-use dilemma compels us to reflect on scientific responsibility, ethical regulation, and the role of society in the governance of knowledge. While science has the potential to transform the world for the better, it can also become a double-edged sword if the implications of its potential misuse are overlooked. This is particularly relevant in the life sciences, where advances can be repurposed for harmful by secondary actors. Addressing this challenge requires the development of preventive tools, biosafety and biosecurity measures specifically designed for dual-use research, and clear, up-to-date regulatory frameworks at both national and international levels. These mechanisms should aim to anticipate risks, restrict unauthorized access to sensitive information, and foster a culture of responsibility within the scientific community, without hindering the advancement of knowledge or obstructing legitimate innovation. This perspective explores the dual-use dilemma through a global lens, with a specific focus on Latin America, a region where policies and institutional awareness on dual-use risks remain limited. By analyzing illustrative case studies, existing international tools, and regional gaps, this work highlights both the obstacles and opportunities for strengthening dual-use governance in Latin American research systems.
两用困境迫使我们思考科学责任、伦理规范以及社会在知识治理中的作用。虽然科学有潜力让世界变得更美好，但如果忽视其潜在滥用的影响，它也可能成为一把双刃剑。这在生命科学领域尤为相关，因为其进展可能被其他行为者用于有害目的。应对这一挑战需要开发预防性工具、专门为两用研究设计的生物安全和生物安保措施，以及国家和国际层面清晰、最新的监管框架。这些机制应旨在预测风险、限制对敏感信息的未经授权访问，并在科学界培育责任文化，同时不妨碍知识的进步或阻碍合法创新。本视角通过全球视角探讨两用困境，特别关注拉丁美洲，该地区对两用风险的政策和机构意识仍然有限。通过分析具有代表性的案例研究、现有的国际工具和区域差距，这项工作突出了加强拉丁美洲研究系统两用治理的障碍和机遇。
