| Briefing Date: | 09/08/2004 |
| Topic: | Seeking Security: Pathogens, Open Access, and Genome Databases |
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
National Research Council
Division on Earth and Life Studies
Board on Life Sciences
Committee on Genomic Databases for Bioterrorism Threat Agents
******
Congressional Briefing
Wednesday, September 8, 2004
HC-7, The Capitol -- 12:00 p.m.
on
Seeking Security: Pathogens, Open Access, and Genome Databases
by
David R. Franz, Chief Biological Scientist, Midwest Research Institute, Frederick, Maryland; Director, National Agricultural Biosecurity Center, Kansas State; and Member, Committee on Genomic Databases for Bioterrorism Threat Agents, Board on Life Sciences, Division on Earth and Life Studies, National Research Council, The National Academies
Seeking Security: Pathogens, Open Access, and Genomic Databases describes how bioscientists use genomic databases to share results and inform research. It evaluates the pros and cons of unlimited versus restricted access to such data because of the potential that a bioterrorist might also use the information in an attempt to enhance a virulence of the pathogen before using it in an attack. It also reviews different categories of this kind of information, relative dangers, and potential mechanisms for limiting access, and makes conclusions about the risks versus benefits to society of retaining open access to the data.
This briefing was for members of Congress and congressional staff only. The report was publicly released on September 9, 2004 and can be found, in its entirety, on the Web site of the National Academies Press.
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