The life sciences are developing so quickly that a watch list of dangerous pathogens and toxins is useless in fighting the threat of bioterrorism, says a new report from the National Academy of Sciences.

Focusing on the list of about 60 “select agents,” such as the smallpox virus and botulism toxin, might simply divert resources from newer and more dangerous threats, such as RNA interference, synthetic biology or nanotechnology.

The best defense, according to the report, is for the US to encourage a free flow of information among international scientists while also setting up international agreements that prohibit work intended specifically for biological weapons. In the shorter term, the US should set up a special committee to monitor scientific developments and report to intelligence agencies, the report says.