Select Agents and Toxins
Effective: Documented and posted in the Policy Library August 2007
Reviewed: February 2023
Contact: Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S)
Introduction
Federal regulations (42 CFR Parts 72 & 73, 7 CFR Part 331, 9 CFR Part 121) govern the use, transfer, and storage of Select Agents and Toxins at Iowa State University. The Select Agents and Toxins Program was established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as mandated by the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002.
Policy Statement
Any principal investigator (PI) who intends to use, transfer, or store select agents and toxins must first contact the Responsible Official (RO) in the Department of Environmental Health and Safety in order to register personnel and facilities before research may proceed. A security risk assessment of the facilities will be conducted by the RO. All personnel who have access to select agents must undergo a security risk assessment background check which is conducted by the FBI. After the registration and risk assessment have been submitted, an inspection may be performed by the USDA/APHIS/CDC.