Regulating Biotechnology in the Age of Homeland Security

Abstract

The anthrax letters in the United States in October 2001, coming soon after the September 11 terrorist attacks, raised the fear of bioterrorism to a high level. Legislation to restrict access to select agents (i.e., those pathogens considered likely to be used in biological weapons) and to screen laboratory personnel for security risks soon followed; in addition, the major scientific journals in the field have agreed to practice self-censorship to prevent the publication of information that might be useful to terrorists. These developments are ushering in a new relationship between the field of biology and the state, raising important issues of governance. In this article I summarize the new regulatory regime, analyse its likely impact on the research community, and discuss the problems that the current approach to rule making creates for legitimacy and acceptance of the new regime.