MOSCOW, April 12. /TASS/. The Russian parliamentary commission probing into US biolabs in Ukraine has proposed that a mechanism be developed to help localize the risks of emerging pandemics, prevent the introduction of lockdowns and the disruption of daily life, according to its final report made available to TASS.
"The commission also thinks it necessary <...> to develop a mechanism which helps localize epidemiological risks before epidemics emerge as well as prevent the introduction of lockdowns and the disruption of the rhythm of daily life," the report said.
The commission proposes to introduce a provision in Russian law on preparing an annual government report on the state of biological security in Russia which will be presented to the president and both chambers of the parliament. It is also suggested to establish and specify penalties "for failure to approve or observe mandatory requirements in the sphere of ensuring biological security."
Additionally, the commission thinks it necessary to authorize the Russian government to establish the procedure of shaping and maintaining the registry of products and goods necessary for ensuring citizens’ biological security and providing them with medical aid.
"The commission stands by the priorities outlined in the Sanitary Shield federal project. Thus, it is proposed to the government of the Russian Federation to consider the issue of setting up the following mechanisms: development, testing and certification of vaccines against non-endemic viruses as soon as possible after the threat of an epidemic is recognized, the development of rapid modification methods for these vaccines for their adaptation to new pathogens, and the creation of strategic stockpiles of vaccines and medicines with a wide range of action, including antidotes to new highly contagious pathogens, for a special time period," the report said.
The commission thinks that it is no longer possible to rely on the well-known conventional list of biological agents and it is necessary to fine-tune the means of collective and individual protection in order to ensure the population’s biological security. It is necessary to develop a control mechanism for research in the sphere of biotechnologies, synthetic biology and related fields by organizations and institutions financed by foreign funds, including research grants.