Select Agents

Biological Project Registration
Bloodborne Pathogens
COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 Research
Lab Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Lab Waste Management
Safe Biological Work Practices
Select Agents

Select Agents

The federal government classifies certain materials as “select agents” due to their potential use in biological terrorism or warfare.

Only excluded select agents and permissible amounts of select toxins are allowed at Harvard. Before using these agents, you must register and receive approval from the Committee on Microbiological Safety (COMS) following COMS policy.

Review this information to learn necessary procedures for select toxins, including how to manage inventory, transfer and store them safely, and destroy them when necessary.

Resources

Exempt Quantities of Select Agent Toxin Destruction Form
Exempt Quantities of Select Agent Toxin Transfer Form
Exempt Quantities of Select Agent Toxins Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Exempt Select Agent Toxin Inventory Sheet
Federal Select Agent Program - National Select Agent Registry
Federal Select Agent Program - Permissible Toxin Amounts
Federal Select Agent Program - Select Agent and Toxin Exclusions
Federal Select Agent Program - Select Agents and Toxins List

Department Contact

Office
617-496-3797
biosafety@harvard.edu

Did You Know?

There are safer options to using standard hypodermic needles and scalpels in research. Safer needle devices include retractable and re-sheathing needles, re-sheathing scalpels, needles that can be blunted after use, and many more. Consider if a safer sharp will work for your experiment or if a blunt needle can be substituted. For more information on safer sharps, visit Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): Healthcare Wide Hazards Needlestick/Sharps Injuries.