Viewpoint: Yes, biological weapons are a genie already out of the bottle and awaiting a master. Research and development on biological weapons should be resumed.

Viewpoint: No, resumption of research on and development of biological weapons is a medically and scientifically unneeded, inefficient, and unethical response to threats of bioterrorism.

Since formally terminating its biological weapons program in 1969, the United States has condemned the spread of biological weapons programs and lobbied for an international treaty to ban such weapons. Those who have closely followed the American biological weapons programs point out that even though research dedicated to the weaponization of biological agents supposedly ended...