March 19, 2013

Panel V: Identifying Conditions, if any, under which HPAI H5N1 GOF Research Should be Conducted

Day 2
9:00 -- 9:15 A.M. Introductory Remarks

Robbert Dijkgraaf, Ph.D.
Co-Chair, InterAcademy Council
Past President, the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Netherlands
Director and Leon Levy Professr, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, USA

Harvey Fineberg, M.D., Ph.D.
President, Institute of Medicine, National Academies Professor of Health Policy and Management, Emeritus, Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard University, USA

9:15 -- 11:30 A.M. Panel V: Identifying Conditions, if any, under which HPAI H5N1 GOF Research Should be Conducted

Panelist Presentations:

The panelists will address biosafety and biosecurity requirements applicable to HPAI H5N1 GOF research and discuss the conditions, if any, under which HPAI H5N1 GOF research could be supported and conducted, identifying specific standards that should be in place for future research in this area.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the common principles among biosafety and biosecurity requirements around the world? a. Are any changes needed in extant biosafety requirements, biosecurity requirements, DURC policies, or in roles for international organizations if HPAI H5N1 GOF research is to continue?
   b. Are there other models for oversight of research utilizing highly pathogenic agents that would be applicable or useful?
2. Do the designs of some HPAI H5N1 GOF experiments conducted to date raise fewer concerns than other HPAI H5N1 experimental designs? If so, why? How might some of these designs, if used more broadly in the future, obviate concerns while advancing public health? Are the strategies proposed in this panel applicable beyond HPAI H5N1 GOF research?

Panel Co-Moderators:

Kirsten Jacobsen, Ph.D.
Manager, Biosafety Risk Assessment, Pathogen Regulation Directorate, Public Health Agency, Canada

Zarifah Reed, M.D.
Medical Director, SENTINEXT Therapeutics, Malaysia

Panelists:

Celia Alpuche-Aranda, M.D., Ph.D. Director, Institute of Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference, National Public Health Institute, Mexico

David Harper, C.B.E.
Special Advisor, Office of the Assistant Director-General, Health Security and Environment, World Health Organization

Joseph Kanabrocki, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean, Biosafety, and Associate Professor of Microbiology, University of Chicago, USA

Gary Kobinger, Ph.D.
Head, Vector Design and Immunotherapy Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency, Canada

Gene Matthews, J.D.
Senior Fellow, North Carolina Institute for Public Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA

Anna Lönnroth Sjödén, Ph.D.
Deputy Head of Unit, Infectious Disease and Public Health, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission

Robbin Weyant, Ph.D.
Director, Division of Select Agents and Toxins, Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA

Kevin J. Wolf, J.D.
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of Commerce, USA