The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences has been asked by the State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science to issue an advisory report on how to deal with dual use research in the life sciences. The report will be issued at the end of 2013. The request was prompted in part by the debate that arose following the H5N1 study carried out by Prof. Ron Fouchier’s research group.

The report will also consider whether the 2007 Biosecurity Code requires updating. The Academy Board has installed a Biosecurity Committee to prepare the advisory report. The Committee will be chaired by Prof. Lous van Vloten-Doting, who also chaired the workgroup that drafted the Biosecurity Code.