The risks of new pandemic threats are compounding. Zoonotic spillover and uncontained outbreaks are well-known risks that are not yet well enough addressed. Today, focus must also turn to biosecurity and biosafety risks. Beyond naturally occurring infectious disease threats, the risks of a manmade pandemic — by accident or by design — must be mitigated.
Pandemic Action Network (PAN) and The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response will convene a public event, Biosecurity: A Priority in the Era of Pandemics and AI, on the sidelines of WHA78 to discuss opportunities and risks in our evolving global health, technological, and geopolitical landscape, and offer concrete next steps to prioritise biosecurity and biosafety efforts needed to keep the world safe and secure.