The Biological Weapons Convention (more properly but less widely known as The Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention) is an international agreement that prohibits the development and stockpiling of biological weapons. The language of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) describes biological weapons as "repugnant to the conscience of mankind." Formulated in 1972, the treaty has been signed (as of June 2002) by more than 159 countries; 141 countries have formally ratified the BWC.

The BWC broadly prohibits the development of pathogens—disease-causing microorganisms such as viruses and bacteria--and biological toxins that do not have established prophylactic merit (i.e., no ability to serve a protective immunological role), beneficial industrial use, or use in medical treatment.

The United States renounced the first-use of biological weapons and restricted future weapons research programs to issues concerning defensive responses (e.g., immunization, detection, etc.), by executive order in 1969.

Although the...