US biosafety policy and regulations: Assessing the landscape

Thursday, November 5, 2026, 2:00 - 2:45 p.m. EST 
Online: https://www.brookings.edu/events/us-biosafety-policy-and-regulations-assessing-the-landscape/ 

Regulations and policy to improve biosafety have become increasingly salient in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, amid a rapid rise in scientific advances in biological and life sciences, and due to growing concerns about the abilities of AI systems to support advanced biological research. As policymakers are thinking about how to mitigate the growing risks of life sciences research (e.g., lab research on high-risk viruses), numerous policy and regulatory initiatives are being implemented or considered.

For instance, a 2025 executive order, the Office of Science and Technology Policy’s July 2026 policy for high-risk life sciences research, and the National Institutes of Health’s August 2026 draft policy for research involving biohazards, are some of the actions taken on biosafety policy in the executive branch. At the same time, there are several initiatives and legislative proposals under consideration in Congress to more closely supervise and regulate the biotechnology sector and high-risk life sciences research.

On November 5, the Brookings Center on Regulation and Markets will host a fireside chat with Gerald Epstein, biosecurity resident expert, and adjunct, at the RAND Corporation, to assess the current landscape of biosafety policies and regulations and discuss some of the factors involved in enabling policymakers to better mitigate biosafety risks while safeguarding U.S. innovation in that area.

Online viewers can submit questions in advance via email to events@brookings.edu.