On July 10, 2008, Marburg hemorrhagic fever was confirmed in a Dutch patient who had vacationed recently in Uganda. Exposure most likely occurred in the Python Cave (Maramagambo Forest), which harbors bat species that elsewhere in Africa have been found positive for Marburg virus. A multidisciplinary response team was convened to perform a structured risk assessment, perform risk classification of contacts, issue guidelines for follow-up, provide information, and monitor the crisis response. In total, 130 contacts were identified (66 classified as high risk and 64 as low risk) and monitored for 21 days after their last possible exposure. The case raised questions specific to international travel, postexposure prophylaxis for Marburg virus, and laboratory testing of contacts with fever. We present lessons learned and results of the follow-up serosurvey of contacts and focus on factors that prevented overreaction during an event with a high public health impact.
The following report was featured in the Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal published by the CDC:
- Author:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Publish Date:
- August 2009
- March 14, 2011
- | Filed under Europe, Report, and 2001-2025
A Set of Communication Tools Excerpted from the NSABB’s Proposed Framework for the Oversight of Dual Use Life Sciences Research.
- Author:
- National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity
- Publish Date:
- 2007
- March 14, 2012
- | Filed under North America, Report, and 2001-2025
IAC-IAP report on responsible research conduct provides framework for global standards of behavior. To encourage researchers around the world to adhere to universal science values and ethical behavior, a new report on responsible science has been issued by the InterAcademy Council and the IAP – the global network of science academies. The report is the first product of the IAC and IAP’s project on scientific integrity, initiated in response to several major trends reshaping the research enterprise, including the increasingly global and interdisciplinary nature of science, its heightened role in policy debates, and the continued emergence of high-profile cases of irresponsible research behavior in many countries.
“Humanity has placed its trust in science to solve many of the world’s toughest problems, and researchers must preserve that trust by working ethically and responsibly,” said Indira Nath, co-chair of the authoring committee and emeritus professor at the National Institute of Pathology, New Delhi, India. “All researchers have an obligation to act in accord with the values and principles of research integrity.”
The committee stressed that responsible conduct allows the self-correcting nature of research to operate effectively and accelerates the advance of knowledge. The committee also emphasized that while procedures and institutions to effectively investigate and punish irresponsible research are needed, mentoring and education efforts aimed at preventing irresponsible conduct are ultimately more important.
- Author:
- InterAcademy Council and IAP
- Publish Date:
- 17 October 2012
- October 17, 2012
- | Filed under Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Middle East, North America, South America, South Asia, Proposed Legislation, Report, and 2001-2025
The purpose of this guidance is to inform Member States about the risks posed by accidents or the potential deliberate misuse of life sciences research and to propose measures to minimize these risks within the context of promoting and harnessing the power of the life sciences to improve health for all people. Although the issues addressed in this document can potentially interest a quite large audience, the proposed measures and the selfassessment questionnaire are of a public health nature. Health researchers, laboratory managers and research institutions are therefore the primary audience of this guidance.
- Author:
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- Publish Date:
- 2010
- March 30, 2011
- | Filed under Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Middle East, North America, South America, South Asia, Featured, Other, and 2001-2025
Responsible Research with Biological Select Agents and Toxins evaluates both the physical security of select agent laboratories and personnel reliability measures designed to ensure the trustworthiness of those with access to biological select agents and toxins. The book offers a set of guiding principles and recommended changes to minimize security risk and facilitate the productivity of research. The book recommends fostering a culture of trust and responsibility in the laboratory, engaging the community in oversight of the Select Agent Program, and enhancing the operation of the Select Agent Program.
- Author:
- Committee on Laboratory Security and Personnel Reliability Assurance Systems for Laboratories Conducting Research on Biological Select Agents and Toxins; National Research Council
- Publish Date:
- 2009
- April 1, 2012
- | Filed under North America, Report, and 2001-2025
