Biotechnology rules, not even a topic twenty years ago, have been made a pressing global issue by the spectacular explosion of discoveries in recent years. Yet biotechnology is still in its infancy, so far bringing up many more questions and possibilites than answers and outcomes. You can already sense, however, that this is an area where some sort of minimum critical mass of global rules will be needed-even if these rules aren't too clear yet.

Anyone who argues that no rules whatsoever are required is a fool. Even arguing that nation-state rules are sufficient is an uphill task: from few examples and risks just listed, it is clear that this is an area where some minimal body of global rules, if only provisional ones, is a must.