[T]he United States imposes few security regulations on synthetic DNA providers. It’s perfectly legal to make a batch of genes from Ebola or smallpox and ship it to a US address, no questions asked"
motherjones.com
motherjones.com
"New technologies have handed..scientists the keys to build unfathomably dangerous bugs. Very few—perhaps none—of those scientists has any wish to exercise this grim superpower. But, Esvelt argues, it’s only a matter of time before the next [bioterrorist scientist] comes along."
"By Esvelt’s back-of-the-napkin estimate, perhaps 30,000 scientists worldwide have the skills to build a strain of pandemic influenza, provided they can find someone to synthesize the DNA for them. The consequences of unleashing such a pathogen could be catastrophic."
"'No individual can make a nuke,' Esvelt said. 'But a virus? That’s very doable, unfortunately.'"
"In 2010, the US government released a set of guidelines, asking synthetic DNA providers to review their orders for red flags. Those guidelines do not have the force of law. Companies are free to ignore them, and they can ship almost any gene to anyone, at least within the US."
"Roughly 20 percent of custom DNA firms have not committed to doing security screening, and some appear not to be screening at all."
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