Since the last Biosafety Month campaign, the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) has revised several documents, and we have information on a future policy update:
- UW Policy 6102 update – This policy outlines the review timeline for new Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) space protocols. The IBC will no longer review protocols before construction and commissioning start. Instead, reviews can happen alongside commissioning, but final approval will only be granted once commissioning is complete. If issues identified during commissioning require any revisions to the biosafety protocol, associated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), or BSL-3 manual, after it has been reviewed by the IBC, the Office of Biological Safety (OBS) may send the protocol back to the IBC for an additional round of review prior to approval.
In addition, the IBC added requirements for containment devices. If you plan to use devices designed to provide personnel and environmental protection from biohazardous material, please check out the newly added requirements. Examples of these devices may include downdraft tables or HEPA-filtered enclosures.
- Updated guidance for Avian Flu (H5 HPAI) research – The revision to the “Requirements for H5 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Research” document includes updates in the “Samples that may contain live H5 HPAI virus” section. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses are risk group 3 select agents. To facilitate review of H5 HPAI studies, in 2024, the IBC created a guidance document and templates, similar to what was created to facilitate COVID-19 research. The IBC reviewed and updated the guidance document to provide more details related to samples that may contain live H5 HPAI virus.
- Future policy update – NIH announced a new effort to modernize and strengthen biosafety policies, practices, and oversight. This forward-looking effort aims to ensure that NIH’s biosafety framework keeps pace with evolving risks posed by rapid advances in science and technology. More information may be found at NIH’s Biosafety and Biosecurity Policy – Office of Science Policy.
Questions? Please reach out to biosafety at biosafety@fpm.wisc.edu or 608-263-2037
We are here to help!
by Stephanie Kutz
Stephanie Kutz is an Associate Biological Safety Officer. She joined EHS in 2009 and oversees the IBC and Laboratory Operations unit within the Office of Biological Safety.
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