"Implementation of the obligations of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) has lagged seriously behind other disarmament and non-proliferation regimes. Without an international organization to shoulder the burden, states have been left alone to establish ad hoc national arrangements. The two most recent work programmes within the BWC framework have helped to harmonize national approaches and focused on building capacity to translate international obligations into effective national action. States have begun to identify common ground in their approaches, to learn from each other's experiences and create a community of actors dedicated to ensuring that the life sciences are not used to cause deliberate harm. Over the last decade it has become increasingly clear that effective action will require a concerted effort from all those who can play a role in ensuring that the life sciences continue to be used safely, securely and solely for beneficial purposes. This book gathers together many of the best contributions from the recent work within the BWC framework and provides expert reviews of key themes, case studies of interesting national approaches, as well as unique perspectives from the ground. It is a practical tool for implementing the convention, an introductory guide to current best practice at the health/security interface and adds to the historical record of this important international instrument."--P. [4] of cover.