What precautions are taken to ensure that we don't contaminate Mars and it doesn't contaminate Earth?

Question

What precautions are taken to ensure that we don't contaminate Mars and it doesn't contaminate Earth?

Answer 1

well....there's the wrapper...

Answer 2

The biggest polythene bag you have ever seen.

Contamination has already happened.

Answer 3

We keep the two planets very far from each other.

Answer 4

Too late.

Mars already has organic material originating from Earth.

Over the last couple of billion years Earth has been bombarded with meteors (some of them big ones) and organic matter has been ejected into space. Some of it will have found its way to our near neighbours, including Mars.

Scientists will eventually find organic material on Mars. Initially it will be hailed as evidence of life on Mars, and then analysis will show where it came from.