90 - More Than a Checkbox: The Ethics of Dual-Use Research Policy Implementation in the Context of Institutional Compliance

Background:  The debate around Dual Use Research of Concern often settles itself into the ethical conflict around the permissibility of the research itself. In this paper, we argue that a lesser-discussed issue arises when implementing DURC research policy in establishing and appraising mechanisms to ensure meaningful and comprehensive review structures.

Methods:  We have interpreted the 2024 DURC Oversight policy in conjunction with the history and implementation of similar oversight bodies – such as Institutional Review Boards. We also explored this policy in terms of governmental reach and authority. Our goal is to not only assess the practicality for institutional adoption, but also gauge each structure for comprehensive review from the Institutional Review Entity – and not a review limited to a checkbox at a feasibility level.

Conclusion:  We hope for the Institutional Review Entity required by this policy to become an independent, educational, professional working body, but this calls for major institutional and field-specific buy-in and governmental support. We argue that this will be a long-term process and the field will need to be built and trained over a number of years.

Limitations: The limitations of this argument and these recommendations is that they are based off of a new policy that is not yet active. The recommendations are based off of historical opinions from NSABB and other public DURC and GoF scientific avenues.

Discussion:  We argue that more consideration should be given to the professional-public voice in the construction of this type of policy. In giving a one-year implementation date, the Institutional Review Entity will require a strategic yet meteoric build up of training and education. We argue that ensuring the proper design and build of the Institutional Review Entity, as well as the relevant government provisions, will make an immense impact on the review process and uptake of the reviews themselves.