Possession, Use, and Transfer of Select Agents and Toxins-Addition of SARS-CoV/SARS-CoV-2 Chimeric Viruses Resulting From Any Deliberate Manipulation of SARS-CoV-2 To Incorporate Nucleic Acids Coding for SARS-CoV Virulence Factors to the HHS List of Select Agents and Toxins

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) located within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is amending its select agents and toxins regulations to add SARS-CoV/SARS-CoV-2 chimeric viruses resulting from any deliberate manipulation of SARS- CoV-2 to incorporate nucleic acids coding for SARS-CoV virulence factors to the list of HHS select agents and toxins. HHS/CDC intends to regulate this agent and to require the regulated entity to obtain prior approval from CDC to conduct deliberate manipulation of SARS-CoV-2 to incorporate nucleic acids coding for SARS-CoV virulence factors because these chimeric viruses have the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety.