From the U.S. Government Accountability Office, www.gao.gov

Transcript for: Public Health Preparedness

Description:

Research on pathogens that could cause a pandemic can involve altering
these pathogens to make them more transmissible. This raises the
possibility that these altered pathogens could cause a pandemic.
Department of Health and Human Services policy calls for additional
reviews of and extra safeguards for proposed research involving these
altered pathogens. However, the policy is unclear about how the research
proposal is actually reviewed for approval. There are also other policy
gaps that may allow this research to occur without appropriate
oversight.

Related GAO Works: GAO-23-105455. Public Health Preparedness: HHS Could
Improve Oversight of Research Involving Enhanced Potential Pandemic
Pathogens

Released: January 2023

To better understand what causes a pandemic, researchers may alter
pathogens in ways that affect how they spread and cause disease.

However, these alterations could make the pathogens more transmissible
or more deadly and possibly even lead to a pandemic.

Department of Health and Human Services policy calls for extra
safeguards when research involves these altered pathogens.

However, the policy is unclear about how the research proposal is
actually reviewed for approval.

There are also other policy gaps that may allow this research to occur
without appropriate oversight.

Our recommendations address these issues and more.

[ End ]

For more info, check out our report GAO-23-105455 at: GAO.gov