Biological safety in Russia

2023

The Security Council of the Russian Federation took up the organization of scientific research for the development of biotechnology

In early October 2023, it became known about the decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to which the commission of the Security Council of the Russian Federation under the leadership of its vice-president Dmitry Medvedev for protection against infections was transformed into a commission to combat biosecurity threats.

According to the regulation on the commission, it will assess biosecurity threats, the level of protection of the country's population from the impact of dangerous biological factors, as well as ensure monitoring compliance with relevant requirements when implementing state, federal and other programs and projects.

Security Council of the Russian Federation

According to the presidential decree, the structure is also entrusted with the functions of organizing scientific research for the development of biotechnology and preparing proposals to the Security Council on issues related to the formation of a unified state policy in the field of biosafety.

The Commission will also consider issues of forming a federal budget in the field of biotechnology and bio-production and issues of international cooperation in the field of biotechnology development.

Meetings of the commission will be held at least once every six months, if necessary, extraordinary meetings can be organized. The preference is given to the face-to-face format of meetings, but in some cases the use of video conference is possible.

By October 2023, Federal Law No. 492-FZ "On Biological Safety in the Russian Federation" is in force in Russia. According to the document, one of the main principles of ensuring biological safety is the protection of citizens' health and the environment from the impact of dangerous biological factors, and one of the main biological threats is "the emergence and spread of new infections, the drift and spread of rare and (or) previously not encountered in the territory of the Russian Federation infectious and parasitic diseases, the emergence and spread of natural focal, returning and spontaneous infections."^[1]

A register of enterprises working on biological safety is being created in Russia

In June 2023, it became known that the government commission on legislative activity supported the initiative of the Ministry of Health on the new powers of the White House in the field of biological safety. The agency proposed that the government develop a procedure for the formation and maintenance of two new registers. In particular, the register of goods necessary to ensure the biological safety of the population. As well as the register of enterprises with a reserve of capacities for the production of such products.

The purpose of the innovations is to ensure planned work on the analysis and accounting of the products necessary to ensure the biosafety of the population, as well as enterprises producing such products, says Vladimir Gruzdev, Chairman of the Board of the Russian Bar Association.

The Ministry of Health proposed to the Government to develop a procedure for the formation and maintenance of two new registers

According to experts interviewed by Vedomosti, the first list may include medicines, medicines and vaccines necessary in the event of a biological threat. The register of enterprises will be formed by federal authorities based on the available data. It is clarified that the bill by June 23, 2023 was approved by the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Agriculture, the FMBA, Rosselkhoznadzor and Rospotrebnadzor.

According to Sergei Shulyak, General Director of the analytical company DSM Group, Rospotrebnadzor, the Ministry of Health and other departments are likely to work on the register. The expert also suggested that this list can be compiled for public procurement and storage of a certain amount of reserves in Rosrezerva. For example, in the USSR, a clear system of reservation of goods was built in case of severe disasters and martial law, among them were medicines and medical products, he recalled.

According to the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Health Protection Alexei Kurinny, the list will include medicines, medical products, laboratory equipment, and the Ministry of Health will be engaged in its formation.^[2]

2021: Mishustin approved the creation of a national register of virus strains

On October 4, 2021, the Government of the Russian Federation announced the creation of the National Catalog of Collection Strains of Pathogens and Viruses. The corresponding decree was signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. Read more here.

2020: Russia adopted a law on biological safety

On December 24, 2020, the State Duma of the Russian Federation adopted in the last reading a bill on state regulation measures in the field of ensuring biological safety of the Russian Federation. It defines the content of biosafety activities and identifies major biological threats. The rights and obligations of federal and regional state authorities are also determined.

Among other things, the document enshrines the right of citizens to protect health and environmental protection from dangerous biological factors, to receive from the authorities, as well as from the relevant organizations "information on the state of protection of the population and the environment from the influence of dangerous biological factors, on measures taken aimed at such protection, to prevent biological threats." At the same time, citizens will be obliged "not to carry out actions that entail a violation of the right of other citizens to protect health and environmental protection from dangerous biological factors."

The Russian Federation adopted a law on biological safety

Leonid Ogul, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Health Protection, explained to reporters that the document is aimed at forming in Russia an integrated protection of the population from biological and chemical threats.

On the territory of Russia there are about 30 objects that can pose a chemical or biological danger. There are objects where samples of terrible viruses are stored, which centuries ago caused terrible epidemics and coughed up the population of entire cities..., we must be sure that we are protected from all this, - said the deputy.

By the second reading of the document, an amendment was made, according to which restrictions on the sale of anti-infectious drugs are introduced to combat the spread of diseases caused by drug-resistant pathogens. This had to be done so that the Russians did not buy such medicines without medical indications and did not harm their health, said Leonid Ogul.^[3]

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