"Michael Specter’s article accurately describes the current H5N1 avian-flu controversy (“The Deadliest Virus,” March 12th). The debate has come about as the result of the enormous growth in biodefense research after the 2001 anthrax scares. Since then, the number of American high-containment laboratories for developing defenses against dangerous pathogens has increased from several hundred to more than a thousand, at a cost of billions of dollars annually in federal funds. This young enterprise, which supports many university, government, and commercial ventures, has expanded too quickly, and has failed to standardize its biosecurity and biosafety measures or its project-review mechanisms. Especially disconcerting is the emergence of two apparently adversarial camps: bioterrorism experts who forecast imminent attacks, and scientists who feel that the benefits of research outweigh potential security risks. Public safety and national security are at stake, but who is in charge?"
Jeanne Guillemin
Senior Adviser
M.I.T. Security Studies Program
Cambridge, Mass.
