ABSTRACT
The.difficulty.of.preventing.a.skilled.scientist.or.technician.with.malevolent. intent.from.covertly.removing.a.dangerous.pathogen.from.a.laboratory.also.challenges.the.rationale.for.biosecurity..Pathogens.emit.so.little.energy.that.we.do.not. have. the. ability.with. currently. available. technology. to.detect. a.person. illicitly. carrying.an.organism.out.of.a.laboratory..Even.pervasive.video.surveillance,.rules. prohibiting.one.person.from.accessing.a.pathogen.alone,.and.body.searches.could. not.definitively.prevent.the.theft.of.a.pathogen.from.a.laboratory..Yet.we.believe. that,.despite.these.complexities,.those.individuals.who.possess.and.use.dangerous. pathogens.have.a.responsibility.to.reduce.the.risk.that.those.agents.could.be.stolen.to.cause.harm..We.are.also.confident.that.reasonable.and.balanced.laboratory. biosecurity.measures,.which.do.not.unnecessarily.hinder.the.progress.of.science,. can.introduce.a.level.of.deterrence.that.would.make.it.considerably.more.difficult. —.and.thus.less.likely.—.for.a.person.to.steal.a.dangerous.pathogen.from.a.legitimate.bioscience.laboratory.
