Select Agents and Bioterrorism

Posted by Judy Arbique Oct 14, 2007

Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) appeared at a hearing with the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation.

The CDC reported on laboratory safety and the Select Agent Program (i.e. infectious agents that may be used for the purposes of bioterrorism and/or biocrime).

Select Agents are those that can cause serious harm or death to humans. Select agents include those are at a high risk of transmission AND are lethal or extremely toxic to humans and/or the food chain of humans.

A number of biocrime and bioterrorism events have resulted in serious illness or death in people in North America, Europe, Asia and the former Soviet Union.

As a result of biocrimes and bioterrorism events, regulations have been enacted that prohibit acquisition and possession of “Select Agents”.

In 2002, the U.S. Congress enforced regulations to minimize the risk of select agents. The select agent program requires registration of possesion, use and transfer of select agents.