Abstract: As progress in the biosciences soldiers forth, new breakthroughs can often be swept up in a common narrative, that is, the narrative of science as a disruptive threat. Responding to perceived threats, policymakers the world over have frequently overreacted to these developments by enacting shortsighted legislation. These knee-jerk reactions often entail a ban or pause on the science to be explored, thereby foregoing a dialog or term-limited oversight. In this paper, we explore the history and transparency of such moratoria.