Guide to Biotechnology >
Introduction Letter

June 3, 2002

The biotechnology industry has put life under the microscope with remarkable results, and today the industry itself is increasingly under the microscope of media interest. On a typical morning, about 40 percent of U.S. daily newspapers carry at least one story pertaining to biotechnology. Much of this day-to-day coverage centers on science and business, but increasingly journalists are also exploring the political, social and ethical ramifications of biotechnology: Should we pursue research using embryonic stem cells and human cloning for therapeutic purposes? How do we ensure the benefits of biotechnology reach everyone? How can biotechnology be harnessed for defense and national security?

As you explore such complex questions and the underlying science driving them, we hope you find this sixth edition of the Editors' and Reporters' Guide to Biotechnology a useful resource. We have undertaken a thorough overhaul of the content, adding material on emerging technologies such as proteomics and nanotechnology, along with expanded discussions of ethical issues and biological defense.

We also have updated the economic statistics and product listings that have made this book an essential tool for both industry and mainstream journalists. You will find discussions of the ways biotechnology is employed in health care and agriculture, as well as in industrial and environmental processes. Of course, we welcome comments, questions and suggestions, which can be sent to me at cfeldbaum@bio.org or to our director of publications at dstrickland@bio.org.

Please contact BIO's communications department for additional information at (202) 962-9200 or (202) 962-9201 (fax).

Sincerely,

Carl B. Feldbaum
President
Biotechnology Industry Organization