The Institutional Biosafety Committee

Presentation

Biosafety can be defined as a set of measures (organisation, working practices, design of facilities, safety equipment, etc.) to prevent personal, laboratory and environmental exposure to potentially infectious agents or biohazards.

Behind this concept is a broad and diversified set of regulations aimed at the protection of living organisms and the environment that regulate aspects such as: shipping, release into the environment, contained use, production, transport, marketing, storage and disposal of biological agents, whether genetically modified or not. The main objective is to ensure effective prevention and protection in the field of human health, animal and agricultural production, biodiversity and the environment.

In response to the need to regulate and improve biological risk management at the UAB, the Consell de Govern, in its session of 31 October 2003, approved the creation, composition and functioning of the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC-UAB) and its regulations.

The IBC-UAB brings together a group of experts who work to optimize the institutional biosafety program and ensure that all research or teaching practice with biological agents is carried out in accordance with good laboratories practices and legal regulations on biosafety.

"Complacency is the worst enemy of biosafety and biosecurity and is nurtured by a lax organizational culture."

Biosafety programme management (WHO 2020)