The best defence

摘要

Nearly seven years after the anthrax attacks that killed five people, the US Department of Justice appears to believe we may soon have a satisfactory account of who committed them. The apparent suicide last week of Bruce Ivins, head of the programme to improve anthrax vaccine at the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases in Frederick, Maryland, has triggered speculation that he was about to be charged for the attacks (see page 12). It has also fostered accusations that by pouring money into biodefence research and giving more scientists access to hazardous materials, Washington has made the country more vulnerable rather than safer. Biodefence research in the US has undoubtedly been boosted by the attacks. Since 2001, the federal government has spent some $50 billion on shoring up its biodefences. Some scientists have complained that this has diverted efforts from more important research.