# § 6771. Prohibition
**(a)** **In general** Neither the Secretary of Defense nor any other officer or employee of the United States may, directly or by contract—
**(1)** conduct any test or experiment involving the use of any chemical or biological agent on a civilian population; or
**(2)** use human subjects for the testing of chemical or biological agents.
**(b)** **Construction** section 6701(8) of this title
Nothing in subsection (a) may be construed to prohibit actions carried out for purposes not prohibited by this chapter (as defined in ).
**(c)** **“Biological agent” defined** In this section, the term “biological agent” means any micro-organism (including bacteria, viruses, fungi, rickettsiae or protozoa), pathogen, or infectious substance, or any naturally occurring, bio-engineered or synthesized component of any such micro-organism, pathogen, or infectious substance, whatever its origin or method of production, capable of causing—
**(1)** death, disease, or other biological malfunction in a human, an animal, a plant, or another living organism;
**(2)** deterioration of food, water, equipment, supplies, or materials of any kind; or
**(3)** deleterious alteration of the environment.
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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 105–277, div. I, title VI, § 602, Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–886.)
## Editorial Notes
### References in Text
This chapter, referred to in subsec. (b), was in the original “this Act” and was translated as reading “this division”, meaning div. I of , , , known as the Chemical Weapons Convention Implementation Act of 1998, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. For complete classification of division I to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.