The Biosecurity Office has developed a new animation video about the concept of dual-use. The video explains the differences between dual-use, dual-use materials, dual-use research, DURC and export control. This English-language video was launched during the biosecurity knowledge day. Are you curious? Go to our website to view the animation.
Research in the life sciences may become dual-use in nature, meaning that, for example, biological agents, including the knowledge about them and underlying techniques, can be used in two ways. On the one hand, it is extremely important to research pathogenic organisms and development in medical, biological and agricultural fields have an important societal contribution. However, some of these organisms can also be used to develop biological weapons that may pose a threat to public health and the living environment. It is therefore important that researchers, biorisk professionals and responsible authorities consider whether the research taking place poses potential dual-use risks.
Through conversations with life science researchers and biorisk professionals, it became apparent that there is limited awareness about dual-use and the corresponding terminology. Furthermore there is unclarity about how dual-use relates to export control policies. Therefore, the Netherlands Biosecurity Office has developed a short dual-use animation video that aims to provide more clarity about what dual-use is and how the different definitions are used. The video has been reviewed by an expert panel of (inter)national experts and organizations in the field of biosecurity, biosafety, microbiology and virology and found to be useful.
You can find the animation video here. We hope that this animation video can support you and your organization in increasing dual-use awareness and that it provides clarity in communication about dual-use. Please feel free to share and use the animation video under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license.
You will also find more information about dual-use and dual-use assessment on our website.