Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
WASHINGTON - The value of sharing data on dangerous germs so vaccines and treatments can be developed outweighs the danger that bioterrorists may use the information to do harm, a scientific panel concluded Thursday.
Scientists and policymakers have struggled to balance the needs of researchers for all available information with worries their work might somehow be turned against the public. That concern has increased since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
But times have changed since the World War II secrecy dictum that "loose lips sink ships." Thus, a committee convened by the National Research Council concluded that allowing scientists and the public full access to genome data on germs should continue.
The committee chairman, Stanley Falkow, said "open access is essential if we are to maintain the progress needed to stay ahead of those who would attempt to cause harm." Falkow is a professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford University.
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge disagreed with the findings, saying that he does not think making such information openly available is a good idea.
"I want to take a look at the report. But from my point of view, laying out recipes for the creation of systems or weapons of mass effect, I'm not sure the restriction on that is necessarily the infringement of free speech," Ridge said.
But Dr. Anthony Fauci, the National Institutes of Health's infectious disease chief, said he strongly agreed with keeping the current open system.
"The benefits to get "the good guys' actively involved in developing counter measures far outweigh ... the perceived advantage you might be giving to a terrorist organization, given the fact that these are the kinds of things that, if somebody really wants to get the data anyway, they will get it," Fauci said.
The committee did suggest creation of an advisory board to review future research and report on any security implications.