Completed
Regional focus
Global
Topics
This new book by the National Research Council recommends that the government expand existing regulations and rely on self-governance by scientists rather than adopt intrusive new policies. One key recommendation of the report is that the government should not attempt to regulate scientific publishing but should trust scientists and journals to screen their papers for security risks, a task some journals have already taken up. With biological information and tools widely distributed, regulating only U.S. researchers would have little effect. A new International Forum on Biosecurity should encourage the adoption of similar measures around the world.
Featured publication
Consensus
·2004
In recent years much has happened to justify an examination of biological research in light of national security concerns. The destructive application of biotechnology research includes activities such as spreading common pathogens or transforming them into even more lethal forms. Policymakers and t...
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Description
Review the current rules, regulations, and institutional arrangements and processes in the United States that provide oversight of research on pathogens and potentially dangerous biotechnology research, within government laboratories, universities and other research institutions, and industry. The review would focus on how choices are made about which research is an is not appropriate, and how information about relevant ongoing research is collected and shared.
Use the review to assess the adequacy of current U.S. rules, regulations, and institutional arrangements and processes to prevent the destructive application of biotechnology research.
Recommend changes in these practices that could improve U.S. capacity to prevent the destructive application of biotechnology research while still enabling legitimate research to be conducted.
The study will be conducted in parallel with a new activity by the Working Group on Biological Weapons Control of the Committee on International Security and Arms Control that will inform the study and provide a venue for its dissemination, and with links to related activities in the Board on Life Sciences and the Board on Global Health.
Contributors
Staff
John Boright
Lead
Major units and sub-units
Policy and Global Affairs
Lead
International Networks and Cooperation
Lead
Development, Security, and Cooperation - Networks and International Programs
Lead