Risky Research Review

A new policy will require federal agencies to perform a careful review of research involving 15 pathogens and toxins that could be used for bioterrorism, including H5N1.

Jef Akst

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WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, PAULINE ECCLES

The US government yesterday (March 29) announced a new policy to go into effect immediately regarding the regulation of dual-use research, or studies involving any of 15 "high consequence" pathogens and toxins that could be used by bioterrorists to inflict harm, including the H5N1 bird flu that has been the subject of much debate over the past several months, ScienceInsider reported. The policy, currently referred to as the "dual use research of concern" (DURC) policy, will require federal agencies to review all federally funded studies—both proposed projects and ongoing research—on these agents for the potential risks involved.

Such reviews already exist at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for intramural studies. The DURC policy will extend ...

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Meet the Author

Jef Akst
Jef Akst was managing editor of The Scientist, where she started as an intern in 2009 after receiving a master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses.
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