WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, convened a hearing to examine federal policies, regulations, and funding related to high-risk life sciences research. The hearing highlighted the unique challenge of balancing research that supports key medical developments with public safety and national security. Witnesses emphasized that while this debate is not new, it remains urgent and complex in today’s rapidly evolving scientific landscape. Witnesses explained that the intricate network of policies and regulations that research institutions must navigate can slow down innovation and critical research, but they also acknowledged a need for clearer accountability and oversight measures to ensure this crucial research is effective and safe. This hearing, which is part of the Chairman’s bipartisan biosecurity and life science research investigation, comes at a pivotal time as Congress considers legislative options.
“We have a responsibility to harness the energy and ingenuity of this moment. It will allow us to identify new vaccines, new treatments, and better tests for novel pathogens. New technologies will help us do research faster and safer, by modernizing lab experiments and getting more information from smaller quantities of pathogens,” said Senator Peters. “To be clear, in this era of new research, there will be risks and we have to protect the American public from them. But we also have to be smart and strategic as we do it. Setting reactionary limits on federal research could have harmful consequences. Other countries could make crucial discoveries while our researchers are slowed by red tape. Private donors could keep funding research without the proper guardrails in place. We need to make sure that we maintain control of high-risk research, to ensure it’s effective, innovative, and safe.”
To watch video of Senator Peters’ opening remarks, click here. For text of Peters’ opening remarks as prepared, click here.
To watch video of Senator Peters’ questions, click here.
During the hearing, Peters and the witnesses emphasized the importance of maintaining U.S. leadership in scientific innovation and setting global biosafety standards. They also stressed the importance of having a federal oversight system that is flexible yet effective in mitigating potential risks associated with high-risk life sciences research.
Dr. Carrie Wolinetz, Senior Principal and Chair of the Health & Bioscience Innovation Practice at Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC, discussed the development of high-risk life science research policies and oversight of federally funded research, as well as the federal agency review and reporting process. Dr. Gerald Parker, Associate Dean for Global One Health at the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University, discussed U.S. biosafety and biosecurity oversight policies and the new White House’s policy on high-risk life science research, emphasizing its key strengths and weaknesses.
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