Jordan- Experts, religious leaders seek code of ethics for biotech industry 

(MENAFN - Jordan Times) Representatives of science and technology institutions, researchers and religious leaders convened on Monday to agree on an code of ethics for the biotechnology industry in Jordan.

Organised by the Jordan National Commission for Education, Culture and Science (JNCECS) in coordination with the UNESCO offices in Amman and Cairo, the National Conference for Bioethics kicked off yesterday.

In a speech at the conference, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Walid Maani highlighted the need to protect human rights and dignity when implementing biotechnology.

"There has been a lot of development in biological research at the level of the human genome. This advancement has a lot of applications and implications that will help alleviate human suffering," Maani, who is also head of the JNCECS, told The Jordan Times.

"It is necessary that people come together in this event to finally adopt a common recommendation," he added.

According to Chairman of the Jordan National Bioethics Committee Mohammad Hamdan, the conference aims to promote public awareness on the moral issues arising from scientific advances at the international level.

"At the end of the conference, we seek to come up with a unified public stance regarding urgent issues of science and technology," Hamdan said.

Meanwhile, UNESCO Representative in Jordan Anna Paolini briefed the participants on UNESCO's bioethics programmes, stressing the need to create tools that will facilitate the growth and use of science and technology while respecting human dignity and human rights.

"The human genome underlies the fundamental unity of all members of the human family, as well as the recognition of their inherent dignity and diversity… In a symbolic sense, it is the heritage of humanity," she said.

Religious leaders also expressed support for a comprehensive approach to the growing industry.

"Christianity does not oppose biological research as long as it contributes to a better life for human beings and does not degrade humanity," Father Nabil Haddad, executive director of the Jordanian Inter-Faith Coexistence Research Centre, told The Jordan Times.

During the two-day conference, participants aim to discuss controversial issues related to the ethical implications of human cloning, stem cell research, euthanasia and other related sciences, according to the event's organisers.

By Wafa Samara