Export controlled agents and toxins are locked

Certain biological agents and toxins have been determined to have the potential to pose a severe threat to both human and animal health, to plant health, or to animal and plant products. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regulates the possession, use, and transfer of select agents and toxins that have the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety. The CDC Select Agent Program oversees these activities and registers all laboratories and other entities in the United States of America that possess, use, or transfer a select agent or toxin. The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have established regulations for the possession, use and transfer of these select agents and toxins (see 42 CFR Part 73, 7 CFR Part 331 and 9 CFR Part 121).

• A list of export controls can be found on the EHS website. 
• An attenuated strain of a select agent or an inactive form of a select toxin may be excluded from the requirements of the Select Agent Regulations. The list of excluded agents and toxins can be found at: https://www.selectagents.gov/SelectAgentsandToxinsExclusions.html

References:

• NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules. April 2019
• BMBL 6th ed. HHS Publication No. (CDC) 300859
• MSU Biosafety and Security Manual
• MSU Bloodborne Exposure Control Plan

Corrective actions:

Make sure that export controlled agents and toxins are stored in locked cabinets, fridges or freezers at all times in order to protect them from theft, loss, or misuse.

The most common controlled toxin that is seen on campus is Cholera toxin. It is regulated even if it is non-hazardous.