The UK position

There are signs that the UK will be bolder and less accountable in its genetic defence research than many other countries.For example, Aria won’t be subject to freedom of information requests, in contrasts with Darpa.The UK has also been at the forefront in enabling controversial, pioneering non-military genome technology, such as three-parent babies.And there has been no shortage of government reports that have stressed the importance of genome technology in the domain of defence and security.In 2015, a UK national defence review highlighted the influence that advances in genetic engineering can have for “security and prosperity”.In the recent 2021 Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy review the UK government once again stressed its significance for “defence and national security”.The proposed lack of accountability of Aria, combined with the government’s general mission for genome technology to be expanded into security and defence applications, will create a hotpot of debate and discussion.