Recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules contained in an organism or in a viral genome shall be shipped under the applicable regulations of the U.S. Postal Service (39 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 3); the Public Health Service (42 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 72); the U.S. Department of Agriculture (9 Code of Federal Regulations, Subchapters D and E; 7 CFR, Part 340); and/or the U.S. Department of Transportation (49 Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 171-179).
Host organisms or viruses will be shipped as etiologic agents, regardless of whether they contain recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules, if they are regulated as human pathogens by the Public Health Service (42 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 72) or as animal pathogens or plant pests under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (Titles 9 and 7 Code of Federal Regulations, respectively).
Host organisms and viruses will be shipped as etiologic agents if they contain recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules when: (i) the recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecule includes the complete genome of a host organism or virus regulated as a human or animal pathogen or a plant pest; or (ii) the recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecule codes for a toxin or other factor directly involved in eliciting human, animal, or plant disease or inhibiting plant growth, and is carried on an expression vector or within the host chromosome and/or when the host organism contains a conjugation proficient plasmid or a generalized transducing phage; or (iii) the recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecule comes from a host organism or virus regulated as a human or animal pathogen or as a plant pest and has not been adequately characterized to demonstrate that it does not code for a factor involved in eliciting human, animal, or plant disease.
Additional Resources
Transfer, Transport, and Shipping (UMN BOHD)
Hazardous Material Shipping (UMN DEHS)