user3059: This question is the same as this unanswered question, all the way down to the asker's thoughts.
I suppose it might be the case that a new user is trying to gain reputation by re-asking old questions, but that aside, what is the policy on re-asking old, unanswered questions?
I understand that there is value in bringing it to the attention of the community so that it might finally be answered, but at the same time, you're creating a duplicate question.  I think that upvoting/commenting on the original question to bring it to the top of the queue might be a better solution, unless there is something different about the new question (such as the inclusion of the asker's thoughts on the matter?).   
Is there any official policy in place regarding this situation? I know that duplicate questions in which the original has an upvoted answer are closed, but I am not aware of anything pertaining to unanswered questions.

user107: Duplicates are duplicates, and duplicates get closed.

user6: The rule that the community can't close questions as a duplicate of an unanswered question has an exception when both questions belong to the same user. Reposting is against the rules, and those reposted questions should be closed.
Now, in this case it is likely the same user, but they appear as different ones. In such cases flagging for moderator attention is the correct action.

3059: <p><a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/7790/do-these-patients-have-measles-inclusion-body-encephalitis-mibe-and-or-rubella">This question</a> is the same as <a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/7648/analysis-of-cdna-samples-from-brain-with-suspected-measles-inclusion-body-enceph">this unanswered question</a>, all the way down to the asker's thoughts.</p>

<p>I suppose it might be the case that a new user is trying to gain reputation by re-asking old questions, but that aside, what is the policy on re-asking old, <strong>unanswered</strong> questions?</p>

<p>I understand that there is value in bringing it to the attention of the community so that it might finally be answered, but at the same time, you're creating a duplicate question.  I think that upvoting/commenting on the original question to bring it to the top of the queue might be a better solution, <em>unless there is something different about the new question</em> (such as the inclusion of the asker's thoughts on the matter?).   </p>

<p>Is there any official policy in place regarding this situation? I know that duplicate questions in which the original has an upvoted answer are closed, but I am not aware of anything pertaining to unanswered questions.</p>
 107: <p>Duplicates are duplicates, and duplicates get closed.</p>
 6: <p>The rule that the community can't close questions as a duplicate of an unanswered question has an exception when both questions belong to the same user. Reposting is against the rules, and those reposted questions should be closed.</p>

<p>Now, in this case it is likely the same user, but they appear as different ones. In such cases flagging for moderator attention is the correct action.</p>
