WHO Releases New Biosecurity Guidelines for Laboratories

WHO has released updated guidance for national authorities and biomedical laboratories to manage biological risks. Laboratories are crucial for patient diagnosis, disease surveillance, pathogen characterization, and research and development for treatments and vaccines. Key updates include strengthening cybersecurity measures, handling confidential information, reducing risks from genetic modification, pathogen manipulation, and artificial intelligence, and ensuring safety during emergencies like wars and natural disasters.

The guidance is especially vital for countries lacking regulations, helping them establish or strengthen frameworks for managing high-consequence pathogens. It underscores the need for strong institutional governance through an Institutional Biosafety Committee with national oversight.

Developed in consultation with stakeholders, including WHO’s collaborating centers and the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Biosafety (TAG-B), the guidance provides best practices and recommendations. It encourages Member States to adopt a risk-based approach, as stipulated in the resolution on Strengthening laboratory biological risk management, adopted at the World Health Assembly this year.

By promoting institutional and national engagement, the guidance aims to mitigate risks associated with high-consequence pathogens and research. These measures protect communities from the misuse and accidental release of biological materials while supporting legitimate biomedical research.