Can we stop tomorrow鈥檚 terrorists making deadly viruses from scratch? That was the question exercising the minds of 150 biologists and policy specialists who gathered in Washington DC on 4 December to debate a draft report on the new science of 鈥渟ynthetic genomics鈥�.
The draft considers 20 options, highlighting those aimed at 鈥減lugging the biggest holes in the current system of governance鈥�. These include educating students about biosecurity and lab safety, and a requirement for companies synthesising DNA to screen their orders for potentially dangerous sequences 鈥� which some still fail to do.
鈥淐ompanies making DNA must screen orders for potentially dangerous sequences鈥�
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Robert Friedman of the J. Craig Venter Institute in Rockville, Maryland,who helped write the draft, says it will be amended after a five-week period for public comment. The key suggestion on screening orders is expected to stay, and mirrors an earlier recommendation from the US National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (New 杏吧原创, 4 November, p 6).