http://dx.doi.org/10.17176/20220815-181654-0 https://verfassungsblog.de/pathogen-dematerialisation-as-an-existential-threat-to-global-health-justice/ Pathogen Dematerialisation as an Existential Threat to Global Health Justice Hampton, Abbie-Rose eng 2022-08-15 electronic resource text/html ddc:342 Future Global Health pandemic measures Verfassungsblog Verfassungsblog--2366-7044 CC BY-SA 4.0 Rapid levels of growth and development within the field of synthetic biology pose an undeniable threat to equity and global health justice as a result of the rise in the dematerialisation of pathogen samples. Until fairly recently, it was impossible to detach physical virus samples from the information they contained - the sample was the information - but technological advancements have allowed for the dematerialisation of pathogen samples to occur on a global scale. Whilst there are undoubtedly benefits to be derived from dematerialisation, it poses an existential threat to those international agreements which are underpinned by access and benefit sharing agreements.