Biosafety Architectonics

Abstract

   The paper examines the issues of biosafety as an independent direction of national security. The development of biotechnologies inevitably leads to the emergence of new threats to society and the state, requires a comprehensive study of the current legislation in the field of security. The paper elucidates scientific approaches to the definition of biosafety in a narrow and broad senses. The author notes that the appearance of the official definition of biosafety is a significant step in the development of the system of interdepartmental interaction and an independent direction of national security, but by no means a revolutionary novation. In addition, the paper provides a semantic and meaningful analysis of the concepts of biorisk, biohazard, biological factor, determines the relationship of biological threats and biotechnologies. The paper defines a new independent component of biological safety, namely, genetic safety. The author notes the positive dynamics of biosafety development as one of the directions of national policy and at the same time states obvious legislative and methodological gaps. First, a biohazard is the result of the transformation of a biorisk into a concrete factual circumstance that creates a real danger to human life and health, as well as the security of society, the state and humanity. Second, there is no concept of biotechnologies, their types and classification through the prism of biosafety. Third, genetic safety is an independent component of biological safety. The concept of «genetic safety» should be developed. Fourth, biosafety is an independent vector of the national policy of the state aimed at the effective prevention of biological threats, as well as the development of biotechnologies without risk to human life and health by creating a high-quality legislative framework, an adequate level of law enforcement, the formation of legal awareness and legal culture of the population.