The AAMC on Oct. 19 submitted comments (PDF) in response to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) request for information on the Draft NIH Biosafety Policy for Research Involving Biohazards. In its letter, the AAMC expressed strong support for the agency’s community outreach efforts and the development of a biosafety policy that reflects the evolving nature of science and addresses new challenges in conducting work with biohazards. The letter also conveyed concerns regarding the implementation timeframe, harmonization with other federal agencies, and new requirements for Institutional Biosafety Committee meeting minutes and incident reporting.
The NIH is also in the process of releasing implementation guidance for the recently issued United States Government Policy for Stopping High-Risk Life Sciences Research, which will overlap with institutional compliance efforts for the biosafety policy. In its Oct. 19 letter, the AAMC recommended that the NIH Office of Science Policy open a public comment opportunity after the release of the implementation guidance to allow for further feedback on the intersection of these two policies.
- Washington Highlights