An overview of terrorism and its impact on biomedical research facilities.

Since the '9/11' and anthrax-contaminated-letter events of 2001, American society has given the term "bioterrorism" much attention. The author clarifies the definitions associated with bioterrorism and terrorism, provides an historical perspective regarding bioweapons, defines and characterizes the types of agents used as bioweapons, reviews pertinent bioterrorism legislation, and concludes by assessing the impact of these elements on biomedical research facilities.