[20021213]RS21369_合成脊髓灰质炎病毒：生物恐怖主义与科学政策影响.pdf

1 Science Express 10.1126/science.1072266. This report was subsequently published as J. Cello,A. V. Paul, and E. Wimmer. “Chemical Synthesis of Poliovirus cDNA: Generation of InfectiousVirus in the Absence of Natural Template.” Science. Vol. 297. August 9, 2002. pp. 1016 - 1018. Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS21369December 13, 2002Synthetic Poliovirus: Bioterrorism andScience Policy Implicationsname redactedScience and Technology Policy AnalystResources, Science, and Industry DivisionSummaryIn July 2002, an online scientific journal published a report describing how to makethe virus that causes polio from mail-ordered pieces of DNA. This sparked widespreadconcern that the same process could be used by terrorists to make this or other biologicalagents. Most bioterrorism experts agree that it would be much easier, cheaper, andquicker to obtain most such agents from naturally occurring sources. Smallpox andEbola are frequently cited as exceptions; however, these agents would be significantlymore difficult to synthesize than poliovirus. To limit the threat posed by this type ofresearch, policymakers