9/9/2025 Statement

ABSA International – Statement on NIH’s Announcement of the Biosafety Modernization Initiative

ABSA International to Collaborate with NIH on the Biosafety Modernization Initiative.

ABSA International President Sherry Bohn responded to the NIH’s Office of Science Policy’s announcement regarding the Biosafety Modernization Initiative, stating:

“As the leading global organization dedicated to advancing biosafety and biosecurity, ABSA International represents more than 1,900 experts worldwide who work every day to ensure biological research is conducted safely and responsibly. For more than 50 years, ABSA members have advanced biosafety through progress, innovation, and continual review of evolving guidelines to meet changing scientific needs—while maintaining an unwavering focus on safety and security. Our work is rooted in science, not politics.

We welcome NIH’s commitment to modernizing biosafety policies and strengthening institutional oversight to match the pace of rapidly advancing science and technology. Gold-standard research demands gold-standard safety, and biosafety professionals are uniquely positioned to help realize that vision. We look forward to working closely with the NIH’s new biosafety modernization initiative team at the Phase I listening sessions this fall.

Biosafety professionals serve as the frontline defense against laboratory-associated infections, accidental releases, and potential biosecurity threats. Their expertise in risk assessment, containment protocols, and regulatory compliance ensures that scientific progress is matched with safeguards that protect researchers, communities, and the environment.

ABSA International looks forward to collaborating with NIH on the creation of updated guidelines under the Biosafety Modernization Initiative. Together, we can advance a framework that acknowledges past achievements while addressing today’s complex challenges, empowering institutional biosafety and biosecurity committees, strengthening compliance with global standards, and reinforcing a culture of responsibility in laboratories worldwide.”