Biological weapons to target selected ethnic groups?

BIOLOGICAL weapons that target selected ethnic groups could become part of the terrorists' arsenal unless governments and scientists act now, the British Medical Association warns.

Such designer weapons would be based on the growing ability of scientists to unravel and compare human DNA.
n theory, experts could engineer organisms to attack genetic variations commonly found in, say, Chinese or German populations.

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There already exist potential biological weapons of enormous destructive power, chief among them smallpox and anthrax," added Professor Emeritus Nossal.
He agreed with BMA head of science and ethics Vivienne Nathanson that, "If we wait too long it will be virtually impossible to defend ourselves (against biological weapons)".

Can you imagine a Hitler or Hussien or Bin Laden with this kind of weapon? The would not hesitate to use it either! Think of the ramifications! It may someday be possible to wipe out an entire race of people while leaving another unneffected! The possibility of selective genocide may be in our near future!

Hmm... I think we're a LONG way to this. Genetic variations between different races are very small. We'd have to know a hell of a lot more about the human body, genetics, ways to isolate those genes, and how to exploit them. The closest we could probably get now relates to the way vitamins are synthesized through the skin. Different skin types have different rates of absorbtion so something taking advantage of that difference could be possible - wouldn't necessarily specify race or ethnicity, though.

Different ethnic groups have different diseases caused by a mutation that is passed from generation to generation such as Sicle Cell Anemia in Black people, and Taye-Sachs among those of Jewish descent. That's not something we can put into a weapon though, and its just passed down, not caught or infected.

Well that will be nice if it is in the hands of the neo nazi/white supremacists