Annan warns of biotech dangers

A few days ago Mr Kofi Annan was in Switzerland where he spoke about the benefits and the dangers of biotechnology and compared it to the potential impact of nuclear power.

Complete the text with these words:

biological - biotechnology - bringing - concerted - endeavours - expanding - highlighted - poor - progress - right - threshold - wrong



United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan has warned the world is on the ______ of a new biotechnology era, similar to the advent of nuclear power.

Speaking in Switzerland, Mr Annan has called for a ______ international drive to both harness and control ______, which he says offers huge promise in terms of medical advances, environmental protection and food security for rich and ______.

But he warns it will also bring huge dangers if it falls into the wrong hands, with the threat of ______ weapons or "accidents" growing as scientific knowledge and skills become more widely available.

Mr Annan has ______ the development of new vaccines opened up by biotechnology to deal with long-standing and emerging viruses, and the prospect of new treatments for diabetes and other diseases.
"The bright side of biotechnology reflects the best of human ______ in the service of the deepest human needs," he said.
"In the _______ hands and with the appropriate safety precautions, these are sound scientific ______ that increase our knowledge of viruses," Mr Annan said. "But if they fall into the ______ hands, they could be catastrophic."

Mr Annan has called for global initiatives.
One would use biotechnology and life sciences "to build better lives for people around the world" by ______ the availability of new technologies, encouraging transparency and increasing cooperation.
The second involves ______ together myriad discussions on safeguards against biological weapons and other risks by scientists and attempts to strengthen the Biological Weapons Convention.

Read this ABC Newsonline story.

Key: Move your cursor mouse here > threshold concerted biotechnology poor biological highlighted progress right endeavours wrong expanding bringing