The main target of the BioVisionAlexandria 2004 conference will be the exploration of the issues raised by the New Life Sciences in a world undergoing profound transformations…. Globalization, the needs of the poor, the new rules governing international trade all call into question the directions we must pursue to assure the universal ideals of sharing and benefiting from the enormous advantages offered by the New Life Science revolution.

Coordination and cooperation of the scientific community within itself as well as with those who put their ideas, discoveries, and inventions to practical use is essential for rapid progress. Without such coordination and cooperation, progress can be slow and awkward. BioVisionAlexandria 2004 will be an all-embracing examination of the relationships between the New Life Sciences and development. It will address the key issues in:

Healthcare and the Poor Agriculture and Safe Food Sufficiency Exploiting Biodiversity and Protecting the Environment Trade, Patents and Developing Countries

In addition, special sessions on ethics, patents, and the poor will look into:

• Ethics:
• What are our moral obligations in the realm of biotechnology?
• What limits should we set in exploring biotechnology?
• What obligations do we have when applying current knowledge?
• Should scientific knowledge be universally shared or should discovery and information be exclusive to a few?

• Patents:
• What kind of influence do patents have on science and its applications?
• Should there be limits placed on patents?
• Who benefits from patents and who suffers losses?
• How can patents be used to balance between the encouragement of science exploration and provision for the poor?

• The Poor:
• What can we profit from our poor force?
• What can be achieved from improving their well-being?
• The majority of people in the world are impoverished. By improving health and education, can we increase, both in size and strength, our global workforce and global productivity?
• Where should the focus of biotechnology be in attempting to alleviate the burden of poverty?
• Will biotechnology help the impoverished, or will it increase the gap between the rich and the Poor?

The majority of the world’s natural resources are in less developed and poverty-ridden nations. Lack of quality education and healthcare prevents optimal extraction and utilization of these resources, which in turn slows down growth and development in these nations. Should biotechnological advancements be applied to attempt to rectify this inefficiency?

Individual experts from all over the globe who not only represent virtually all aspects of BioSciences, their applications, and their regulations, but the many nations of the world as well, will come together to discuss the different topics of the BioVisionAlexandria 2004 conference: “The New Life Sciences: Ethics, Patents, and the Poor”.

BioVisionAlexandria 2004 will be importing the highest caliber of experts in the field of biotechnology.

The goal of this conference will be to promote the active exchange of biotechnological information, innovation, and new ideas in order to benefit the world as a whole. It will include representatives from the scientific, academic, governmental and industrial communities. Due to this multilateral approach, the conference will provide more than a limited forum for scientists to share research and information among themselves. The conference will facilitate the interactions between those who provide biotechnological information with those who govern its regulation and application.

The BioVisionAlexandria conference is especially attuned to the needs and capabilities of the less developed nations, and will strive to achieve growth and progress for these nations as well as for the rest of the world. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is honored to host such a prestigious event, so join us, and together let us work towards a better, healthier and safer world for us and for our children.