Anti-Terror Rules on Toxin Availability May Hinder Research and Global Cooperation, Experts Say

Regulations on the use of dangerous biological agents were beefed up in the wake of the 2001 anthrax attacks, but the rules may have hindered some legitimate research collaborations and need to be reviewed, specialists told a 25 June briefing organized by the AAAS Center for Science, Technology and Security Policy.

The U.S. "select agent" program was created initially in the 1990s to control transfer of dangerous agents such as anthrax and botulinum toxin. Legislative measures after 2001 further controlled the possession, use and transfer of the agents, including FBI checks on lab facilities and the personnel who use the agents. A 2004 law also outlawed work on viruses that are close genetic derivatives of the deadly smallpox virus.

While not questioning the need for access controls and safety procedures for the study of dangerous agents, researchers have complained about the red tape involved in establishing high-containment laboratories and obtaining and sharing agents, particularly in the case of collaboration with international partners.

"These labs are necessary if you are going to work on diseases that cause harm," said Gigi Kwik Gronvall, senior associate at the Center for Biosecurity of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

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