Potential Risks and Benefits of Gain-of-Function Research Summary of a Workshop (2015) / Chapter Skim
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6 Policy Implications
6 Policy Implications
Pages 65-70
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From page 65... ...
research, while in other cases the implications are common to policy problems regardless of the substantive area. Charo stated that to reduce risk with regard to biosafety requires a systems approach, which is very complex and requires representation and contributions from a very wide range of stakeholders, including people not ordinarily considered.
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From page 66... ...
The "entire" public has to feel as though it has a stake in both the risks and the benefits. Charo said that she was struck by the way in which the discussion would shift unpredictably between looking at the value of GoF research overall versus looking at its net benefit or its marginal increase in value when viewed as an addition to all the other types of research or public health efforts that are being done to address the same problem.
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From page 67... ...
Another would be a pure case-by-case approach, probably at the funding stage, with each of the factors considered important to making the choice of whether to allow the experiment to proceed reviewed independently, and then the overall project assessed holistically. The third approach would be "risk-based" regulation that reflects experience with a particular type of research, agent, or setting.
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From page 68... ...
As Relman's talk and the discussions in Session 7 illustrated, this in turn depends on judgments about the security implications of greater dissemination of scientific information, such as through increasing international research collaboration and the growth of do-it-yourself biology and amateur science versus the barriers posed by the need for tacit knowledge and specialized equipment on the other. Charo concluded her remarks with a series of special challenges posed by the global nature of GoF research.
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From page 69... ...
One person from the webcast reminded the meeting participants that regardless of what the United States ultimately decides to do or not do, it is important to be mindful that not all research is a global enterprise in other countries, some of which may be less well positioned than the United States and European countries in terms of sophisticated science and adequate investment to be able to carry out this research. Two other viewers raised questions about the roles of scientists and nonscientists, not only in the deliberative discussions that have been described as an important part of public engagement, but also ultimately among the panel or others who will be given the responsibility to make decisions.
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From page 70... ...
Fineberg closed the meeting by noting that the reality is that the virology community brings a special understanding and depth of experience to these particular problems, while the larger scientific community brings a perspective of understanding what is at stake for science. However, those who are part of the security community have a perspective of understanding of what it takes to live securely, what is at stake internationally, and what it may take globally to establish a higher degree of harmony in the conduct of the global research enterprise.
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