The 1975 Asilomar Conference brought together 150 scientists, industry representatives, and journalists to discuss recombinant DNA technology. While excitement about its potential benefits, such as producing insulin, prevailed, participants also feared accidental disease creation. This meeting resulted in enduring biosafety protocols that continue to influence regulations globally. Recognized as a milestone in scientific self-regulation, Asilomar serves as a model for consensus in science, though some advocate for similar discussions in emerging technologies like synthetic biology and AI. Reflecting on Asilomar also illuminates concerns about the dual capacities of technology to either benefit or harm humanity.
participants had agreed to adopt biosafety protocols that are still in force in the United States, which have hugely influenced similar regulations worldwide.
The meeting has become known simply as Asilomar, a byword for how a scientific community came together to forge consensus on a thorny topic.
Half a century on from Asilomar, that longer view provides a different perspective on two unspoken, yet essential, issues that loomed in the background of the meeting.
Periodic calls can be heard for 'another Asilomar' in other potentially hazardous fields such as synthetic biology, nanotechnology and artificial intelligence.
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