US Asks Universities To Flag Risky Pathogen Experiments

sciencehabit writes 'Academic scientists with federal funding who work with any of 15 dangerous microbes or toxins will soon have to flag specific studies that could potentially be used to cause harm and work with their institutions to reduce risks, according to new U.S. government rules released today. The long-awaited final rule is similar to a February 2013 draft and is "about what we expected," says Carrie Wolinetz, a deputy director of federal relations at the Association of American Universities (AAU) in Washington, D.C., which represents more than 60 major research universities. Those schools see the rules as replicating other federal security and safety rules, Wolinetz says, but will adjust to them. But some observers have concerns, such as that the rules do not apply to other risky biological agents. In a conference call with reporters today, a White House official said the government is open to a "broader discussion" about whether it should expand the list of 15 regulated agents.

Comments

I call this BS

[thieh]

Any science that can be developed into technology can be used to do harm.

Re:I call this BS

[rubycodez]

By definition a nuclear research reactor is big enough to trigger a chain reaction, as all nuclear reactors do.

Direct Link to DURC

[Defenestrar]

Here's a direct link to the dual use research of concern (DURC) policy.

My main concerns will be whether it's going to have a chilling effect on research; especially when it's also unclear to me whether this will have any useful impact beyond another layer of red tape. We already have IRBs, biosafety committees, and select agent lists, and I'm unsure that such a "volluntary" system of a PI tagging their own research for extra bureaucracy will make much headway before a problem occurs.

Re:Direct Link to DURC

[Defenestrar]

For those interested in the list but too lazy to read federal documentation (who isn't?) - here you go:

a) Avian influenza virus (highly pathogenic)

b) Bacillus anthracis

c) Botulinum neurotoxin

d) Burkholderia mallei

e) Burkholderia pseudomallei

f) Ebola virus

g) Foot-and-mouth disease virus

h) Francisella tularensis

i) Marburg virus

j) Reconstructed 1918 Influenza virus

k) Rinderpest virus

l) Toxin-producing strains of Clostridium botulinum

m) Variola major virus

n) Variola minor virus

o) Yersinia pestis

I'm so sick of this

[kruach aum]

Yes, the number one medical threat facing America right now is research scientists tipping smallpox down the drain. Not, I don't know, THE MASSIVE OVERUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS THAT WILL LITERALLY END IN A NEW FLESH EATING BACTERIA POWERED DARK AGE.