Bioterrorism & Biodefense

Bio risk refers to the risk associated with biological materials and/or infectious agents. Lately the term is also used within the laboratory setting combining the term biological safety (biosafety) and biosecurity into one word. Bio risk is a DNV-trademarked term in Norway. The term is now gaining increasing recognition amongst regulators, laboratory personnel and industry alike and is used by the WHO. An international Laboratory Bio risk Management Standard developed under the auspices of the European Committee for Standardization defines bio risk as the combination of the probability of occurrence of harm and the severity of that harm where the source of harm is a biological agent or toxin. The source of harm may be an unintentional exposure, accidental release or loss, theft, misuse, diversion, unauthorized access or intentional unauthorized release.