Abigail Salyers

About the author: Abigail Salyers is president of the American Society of Microbiology.

Frightening as the prospect of a bioterrorist attack is, it is important not to overreact. No restrictions should be placed on the conduct or publication of unclassified scientific research because open communication of research results is vital for the advance of science and the improvement of public health. Impeding the flow of scientific information is likely to harm rather than help efforts to prevent bioterrorism.

In the aftermath of the fall 2001 bioterrorism attacks, the wisdom of imposing restrictions on scientific publications has been widely discussed in the U.S. press. Debate about U.S. security interests and scientific communication is timely and worthwhile. It is critical, however, that we not overreact to these issues, especially if that...