The Department of Defense and Biotechnology

Thomas R. Dashiell, who is Director of the Office of Environmental and Life Sciences in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, describes the respective roles of the Departments of Defense, State and Commerce in developing and implementing export controls and related policies. The Militarily Critical Technologies List (MCTL) serves as the basic building block of Defense's program for assisting in the development of export controls. Current policy considerations by the Defense Department focus on the biotechnology sections of the MCTL that will serve as the basis for consideration of export controls for biotechnology products and processes. Mr. Dashiell concludes by calling for industrial advice to Defense in the development of the policies for control of biotechnology products and processes that have significant potential for enhancing the national security of the United States and its allies.