CEPI's Biosecurity team was established in August 2023 and has set out its Strategy, implementation plan and Biosecurity Policy. Find out more here: Biosecurity on CEPI.net and download core biosecurity documents: Strategy, Implementation Plan and Policy

 

New Biosecurity program to support CEPI Network Partners

ISO 35001 provides an internationally recognized, performance based framework for managing biological risks. Its emphasis on systematic risk assessment, continual improvement, and alignment of biosafety and biosecurity practices is particularly valuable given the wide variation in national regulatory environments and the need for equitable, sustainable risk mitigation approaches worldwide.

CEPI’s pilot programme aims to advance the uptake of such standards among self selected partners, drawn from CEPI’s existing laboratory and vaccine manufacturing networks, by establishing a community of practice, strengthening management and technical capacities, and assessing the feasibility and sustainability of implementing performance based biorisk management systems across diverse settings. Through targeted support, peer learning, and structured evaluation, the programme seeks to enhance safe and responsible vaccine R&D&M while enabling participating facilities to progress toward conformity with ISO 35001 and related international standards.

Biosecurity Global South Travel Sponsorship Programme

This programme supports emerging leaders from the Global South to attend biosecurity and biosafety events, fostering diverse perspectives in global dialogues. Limited funds are available to support impact focused activities such as presentations, panels, posters, or courses aligned with CEPI’s vaccine R&D and biosecurity strategy.

The programme advances CEPI’s Biosecurity Strategy Priority 3: drive biosecurity and biosafety for equity. Travellers will also contribute to CEPI’s other biosecurity priorities, including promoting biosecurity and biosafety capacity and lab standards, health security partnerships, and responsible innovation, including managing AI biosecurity risks.

For more detail including how to apply, please see: Information

Biosecurity Forms

The forms below are provided to help CEPI Third Prties to demonstrate their compliance to CEPI's Biosecurity Policy:

Self Assessment Form
Flow chart to identify biorisks within project
Short WHO Biorisk assessment
Biosecurity risk assessment form
AI risk identification tool

Other documents in development:

Virus enhanced Epidemic/Pandemic Potential form
Template Emergency response plan
Biorisk assessment form

Resources and Training 

WHO resources are internationally recognized as providing guidelines for Biosafety and Biosecurity. If there are gaps in your regional Biosafety/Biosecurity oversight then please use these documents to assist in developing Biosafety and Biosecurity compliance mechanisms:

WHO Laboratory Biosecurity Guidance (2024)

WHO Laboratory biosafety manual (LBM4), 4th edition (2020)

WHO LBM4 monograph on Risk assessment

WHO LBM4 monograph on Laboratory design and maintenance

WHO LBM4 monograph on Biosafety cabinet and other primary containment devices

WHO LBM4 monograph on Personal protective equipment

WHO LBM4 monograph on Decontamination and waste management

WHO LBM4 monograph on Biosafety programme management

Presentations (in development)

Biosecurity and Biosafety risk Assessment
Virus with enhanced Epidemic/Pandemic Potential
AI risk assessment form