Early in the 1970s, when recombinant DNA research was first developed, scientists realized that there may be unforeseen dangers, and after a self-imposed moratorium on all such research, they developed and implemented a detailed set of safety protocols for the construction, storage, and use of genetically modified organisms. These guidelines then formed the basis of regulations adopted by the federal government. Over time, safer methods were developed, and these stringent guidelines were gradually relaxed or, in many cases, eliminated altogether. Now, however, the specter of bioterrorism has refocused attention on the potential misuses of recombinant DNA technology. For example, individuals or small groups might use the information in genome databases coupled with recombinant DNA technology to construct or reconstruct agents of disease, such as the smallpox virus or the deadly influenza virus.
Forty years after its development, the use of recombinant DNA technology is widespread and is found even in many middle school and high school biology courses. Are there some aspects of gene splicing that might be dangerous in the hands of an amateur?
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