Southeast Asia Strategic Multilateral Dialogue on Biosecurity

Abstract

A strategic multilateral dialogue related to biosecurity risks in Southeast Asia, established in 2014, now includes participants from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, and the United States. This dialogue is conducted at the nonministerial level, enabling participants to engage without the constraints of operating in their official capacities. Participants reflect on mechanisms to detect, mitigate, and respond to biosecurity risks and highlight biosecurity issues for national leadership. Participants have also identified factors to improve regional and global biosecurity, including improved engagement and collaboration across relevant ministries and agencies, sustainable funding for biosecurity programs, enhanced information sharing for communicable diseases, and increased engagement in international biosecurity forums.

Analysis of Bio-Risk Management System Implementation in Indonesian Higher Education Laboratory

“…The appointment must be based on experience, educational background and abilities to deal with biological hazards in the laboratory, which are closely related to the implementation of a bio-risk management system. In its implementation, several approaches are needed, such as dialogue, partnership, and consultation with related parties [ 32 ] including international organizations, regional organizations, national organizations, institutions, and, at the lowest level, laboratory personnel. The parties that play the most crucial roles in the implementation are researchers and students who are often most actively involved in activities in the laboratory [ 33 ].…”

Future trends in synthetic biology in Asia

“…183 Experts are calling for more regional and even global harmonization and collaborations. 177,178,184 For instance, in the face of a novel pathogen, coordinated real-time communication and data sharing across borders will make biosecurity surveillance and response more effective. 184 In order to achieve this, it is important to have researchers and regulators from different countries align their understanding of the benefits and risks of synthetic biology, and lay out common frameworks for synthetic biology regulations and biosecurity surveillance.…”

“…177,178,184 For instance, in the face of a novel pathogen, coordinated real-time communication and data sharing across borders will make biosecurity surveillance and response more effective. 184 In order to achieve this, it is important to have researchers and regulators from different countries align their understanding of the benefits and risks of synthetic biology, and lay out common frameworks for synthetic biology regulations and biosecurity surveillance. One good example is the global harmonization effort by the International Gene Synthesis Consortium, which is establishing a standardized synthetic DNA screening mechanism and working with multiple stakeholders to implement this as a global norm to safeguard against misuses of synthetic DNA.…”

“…Currently, the standards for biosafety and biosecurity regulations are highly variable even within a single country 183 . Experts are calling for more regional and even global harmonization and collaborations 177,178,184 . For instance, in the face of a novel pathogen, coordinated real‐time communication and data sharing across borders will make biosecurity surveillance and response more effective 184 .…”