The WHO Science Division has organized a Consultative Meeting on a Global Guidance Framework to Harness the Responsible Use of the Life Sciences, on March 11th2021, bringing a broad range of stakeholders with a good geographical representation and gender balance. The participants included academia, scientists and researchers, publishers and editors, security actors, public health officers, policy makers, research donors, and representatives from regional and UN entities to kick off the discussion on the development of a Global Guidance Framework to Harness the Responsible Use of the Life Sciences.
The landscape of innovation in life sciences and the biotechnology is a global endeavour that is moving at a fast pace. The Research for Health Department, within the WHO Science Division, acts upstream level in the prevention and mitigation of risks. The Emerging Technologies, Research Prioritisation and Support (EPS) unit targets its actions in 3 distinct streams in the area of “Dual Use Research of Concern”: Collaboration and engagement of stakeholders; International Framework and Normative Guidance and Horizontal Scanning and foresight system.
The Global Guidance Framework for the Responsible Use of Life Sciences will be aimed at providing Member States and other stakeholders with options to harness the responsible use of the life sciences and to protect against the potential risks caused by accidents and misuse.
The objectives of the meeting were to review the different understandings and promote a consensual terminology on these risks; to review how the fast-changing context in which life sciences evolve impact the understanding and scope of these risks and, considering the above, to identify and agree on a set of key principles and elements for a Global Guidance Framework to address these risks. The outcomes of this consultation are essential as they contribute to and inform the development of the Global Guidance Framework.
32 experts attended the 2,5 hours meeting which consisted of presentations and plenary discussions guided by a series of key questions. Active participation of the attendees provided rich and varied discussions and inputs. Overall, participants recommended to move away from the term “Dual Use Research of Concern” and to set up at international level a common terminology well defined that cover safe, secure and responsible research. Two major themes emerged during the discussions: the need for an overall risk management and a unified approach as well as the importance of awareness, education and training across the different stakeholder groups. For more details, the meeting report will be available here.
The EPS unit will continue a series of stakeholder engagement activities throughout the year to capture global insights, to generate information and content that will ultimately feed into the development of the Framework.