Dual use research is research conducted for legitimate purposes that generates knowledge, information, technologies, and/or products that can be utilized for both benevolent and harmful purposes. Conceivably, much of life sciences research could be considered dual use—that is, most of the information it generates has some potential to be misused. Thus, both DURC policies focus on “dual use research of concern,” or “DURC,” which is defined as: Life sciences research that, based on current understanding, can be reasonably anticipated to provide knowledge, information, products, or technologies that could be directly misapplied to pose a significant threat with broad potential consequences to public health and safety, agricultural crops and other plants, animals, the environment, materiel, or national security.
The potential for dual use of certain life sciences research has been recognized as an important biosecurity issue for a number of years. The Federal agencies sponsoring research have an important responsibility to address this issue, which was formalized in the U.S. Government Policy for Oversight of Life Sciences Dual Use Research of Concern (March 2012 DURC Policy). However, it is vitally important that researchers and their institutions are also vigilant with respect to the potential for dual use of life sciences research that they carry out. The Policy for Institutional DURC Oversight articulates and formalizes the roles and responsibilities of institutions and investigators when they are conducting certain types of research supported by the Federal Government. Investigators, in particular, are often best positioned to understand the implications for dual use of the information, technologies, and products emanating from their research and to propose and implement strategies to mitigate the possibility that the results of their research will be misused to do harm.
In short, the Policy for Institutional DURC Oversight aims to preserve the benefits of life sciences research while minimizing the risk that the knowledge, information, products, or technologies generated by such research could be used in a manner that results in harm. Dual use research is research conducted for legitimate purposes that generates knowledge, information, technologies, and/or products that can be utilized for both benevolent and harmful purposes. Conceivably, much of life sciences research could be considered dual use—that is, most of the information it generates has some potential to be misused. Thus, both DURC policies focus on “dual use research of concern,” or “DURC,” which is defined as: Life sciences research that, based on current understanding, can be reasonably anticipated to provide knowledge, information, products, or technologies that could be directly misapplied to pose a significant threat with broad potential consequences to public health and safety, agricultural crops and other plants, animals, the environment, materiel, or national security.
The potential for dual use of certain life sciences research has been recognized as an important biosecurity issue for a number of years. The Federal agencies sponsoring research have an important responsibility to address this issue, which was formalized in the U.S. Government Policy for Oversight of Life Sciences Dual Use Research of Concern (March 2012 DURC Policy). However, it is vitally important that researchers and their institutions are also vigilant with respect to the potential for dual use of life sciences research that they carry out. The Policy for Institutional DURC Oversight articulates and formalizes the roles and responsibilities of institutions and investigators when they are conducting certain types of research supported by the Federal Government. Investigators, in particular, are often best positioned to understand the implications for dual use of the information, technologies, and products emanating from their research and to propose and implement strategies to mitigate the possibility that the results of their research will be misused to do harm.
In short, the Policy for Institutional DURC Oversight aims to preserve the benefits of life sciences research while minimizing the risk that the knowledge, information, products, or technologies generated by such research could be used in a manner that results in harm.