[Safe from biothreats? Legislation protects you and society].

The 9/11 terror attacks, followed by mailing of letters containing anthrax spores, changed our comprehension on threats towards modern society. Finland is committed by international treaties to develop biosafety and biosecurity legislation, and general awareness of the legislation. However, the rapidly developing field of biosciences cannot be extensively regulated by legislation. Awareness of the risks and challenges involved in handling of biological agents is an important tool in threat prevention. Despite active efforts to update the legislation by government authorities, currently the sustenance and development of biosecurity are primarily in the hands of individual researchers and the scientific community.