Safely balancing a double-edged blade: identifying and mitigating emerging biosecurity risks in precision medicine

Area of Science:

• Biomedical research and information technology.
• Cybersecurity and data science.

Background:

• Precision medicine is rapidly advancing due to innovations in biomedical research and information technology.
• The increasing volume and accessibility of human data, amplified by machine learning and artificial intelligence, present dual-use risks.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the routine collection of biological data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the dual-use potential of precision medicine tools and methods.
• To propose and discuss approaches to biodata security, termed cyberbiosecurity.
• To highlight the need for safeguarding human data privacy, agency, and safety.

Main Methods:

• Review of current capabilities and trajectories in precision medicine.
• Analysis of dual-use risks associated with data-driven biomedical advancements.
• Discussion of cyberbiosecurity principles and policies.

Main Results:

• Precision medicine offers highly individualized treatments but carries the potential for data misuse.
• Advancements in technology create greater volumes of accessible human data, increasing security vulnerabilities.
• Cyberbiosecurity is emerging as a critical discipline to address these risks.

Conclusions:

• The dual nature of precision medicine necessitates robust data protection measures.
• Cyberbiosecurity, integrated with ethical precepts, is essential for protecting individuals in the era of big biodata.
• Proactive development of cyberbiosecurity is crucial to keep pace with biomedical innovation.