John D. Steinbruner and Elisa D. Harris

About the author: John D. Steinbruner is director of the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM) and professor of public policy at the University of Maryland. Elisa D. Harris is a senior research scholar at CISSM and former director for nonproliferation and export controls on the National Security Council staff.

The anthrax attacks of fall 2001 showed that the threat of bioterrorism is real. Advances in biotechnology could make it far worse. Even research that is in itself well intentioned can be used for dangerous purposes, possibly producing disease-causing microorganisms that cannot be stopped by current vaccines or treatments. Because of these risks, the U.S. government needs not only to make acquisition of dangerous pathogens more difficult but...