Toward Biological Security

Bibliographic Data

ID3332026
AuthorsChristopher F Chyba (0000-0002-6757-4522, Stanford University, corresponding author)
Year2002
Volume81
Issue3
Pages122
Publication date2002-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueForeign Affairs (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0015-7120 • E-ISSN: 2327-7793
PublisherJSTOR (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.2307/20033167
OpenAlexW38879543
LanguageEN
Citations received9

THE ANTH RAX ATTAC KS on the United States in the autumn of 2001, and the fear and confusion that followed, made clear that the country lacks a comprehensive strategy for biological security-the protection of people and agriculture against disease threats, whether from biological weapons or natural outbreaks. Too often, thinking about biological secu rity has been distorted by misplaced analogies to nuclear or chemical weapons. An effective strategy must leave these analogies largely behind and address the special challenges posed by biological threats. A strategy for biological security must confront drug-resistant and emerging diseases-more than 30 of which have entered the human population over the past quarter-century. There is no good analogue to this naturally occurring threat in the realm of nuclear or chemical weapons. Moreover, diseases may be targeted against livestock or crops as well as against human populations. And outbreaks of deadly, contagious, and long-incubating diseases such as smallpox have to be detected and stopped rapidly wherever in the world they occur. Fortunately, once formulated, a sound strategy for biological security will help sustain itself because many of its core provisions will benefit public health even apart from acts of bioterror. In fact, many of the tools used to address natural disease threats will be needed to respond to an intentional attack. The U.S. response to the anthrax attacks has emphasized the importance of improving

Computer security · Political science · Bacillus and Francisella bacterial research · Computer Science

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