Patients and patient groups participate throughout the conference. And many other sessions this week will include discussions of the bioethical issues surrounding biotechnology. Progress and prominence will always require more, not less, attention to ethical and social responsibility. Because of our accelerating progress and prominence and the bioethical issues raised by our technology, protests likely have become a fact of life, not just for BIO 2000, but for years to come. That's not all bad.
Peaceful protest is a tradition in our country.
I used to be a constitutional lawyer. We have a treasured First Amendment right to protest and demonstrate. This right was enshrined in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. We are sensitive to the concerns of those who disagree with us and we want to engage them in peaceful discussion. There are, however, limits to First Amendment rights.