Select agents and toxins are high consequence agents that pose a severe threat to public health and safety as determined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

UMB is required to comply with a number of regulations out of CDC and USDA APHIS regarding the possession, use, and transfer of select agents. You must contact Matthew Fischer if you possess or wish to acquire or transfer any of the agents listed here. You may also call (410) 706 - 7055 for more information. Select agent work must be submitted to the Institutional Biosafety Committee.

These are very complicated matters and there are significant civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance.

Toxin Due Diligence

While work with some select agent toxins is exempt from federal regulation providing it is below the designated quantity (see link below), university-level oversight and due diligence is required. Please register your work at: https://ehs.umaryland.edu/ehs_forms/duediligence/

Resources

General Program Information

• CDC Select Agent Program
• Federal Select Agent Program

Regulatory Documents

• CDC Select Agent Regulations

Official Lists of Agents and Exclusions

• List of Select Agents and Toxins
• Excluded Attenuated Strains
• Maximum Toxin Amounts Excluded from Regulation