Evaluating the Health and Policy Implications of FAR-UV Technology
February 27, 2024
The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security hosted a 1-day not-for-attribution meeting on February 27, 2024, in Washington, DC, to convene 54 experts from academia, government, and industry to discuss current research about the effectiveness and use of Far-UV; how Far-UV compares to other technologies including GUV at 254nm; and any outstanding questions about safety efficacy, and feasibility for implementation. Experts presented on a range of topics, including, efficacy, the role of engineering controls, indoor chemistry considerations, energy efficiency, impacts on eyes, skin, and respiration, environmental effects, ozone and oxidation products, regulatory issues, and standards development. These plenaries were followed by robust moderated discussions. This meeting was sponsored by Effective Giving, The OSLUV Project, and Blueprint Biosecurity.
Publication: Linder, A.; Zhu, A.; Bruns, R.; Olsiewski, P.; Gronvall, G. FAR-UV Technology and Germicidal Ultraviolet (GUV) Energy: A Policy and Research Review for Indoor Air Quality and Disease Transmission Control. Preprints 2024, 2024100392. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202410.0392.v1
Agenda
Objective: This workshop convenes experts from a range of disciplines to identify remaining scientific questions, risks, and subsequent policy recommendations for use of FAR-UV technology.
Day 1: Monday February 26, 2024 | |
| 6:30 - 9:00 pm | Working Dinner at Proper 21 1319 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004 |
| 06:30-7:00 pm | Welcome, Opening Remarks and Dinner
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| 08:00-09:00 pm | After Dinner Discussion Disease Transmission and the Impact of Far UV Technologies
The Role of Engineering Controls
Indoor Chemistry Considerations and FAR-UV
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| 08:30-9:00 am | Breakfast Available |
| 09:00-09:15 am | Welcome & Meeting Goals
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| 09:15-10:15 am | FAR-UV Technology, Efficacy Overview, and Remaining Knowledge Gaps This session will focus on the promise of FAR-UV and the potential applications. Speakers will discuss Far UV technology and effectiveness, highlight recent developments in advancement of the technology, and address remaining knowledge gaps that may require consideration before the wide dissemination of the technology.  Discussion will focus on the following questions: Why is FAR-UV needed to improve indoor air quality and reduce disease transmission? How is FAR-UV different from UV254? Does energy efficiency considerations limit usefulness of the technology? The Promise of FAR-UV
Energy Efficiency and Indoor Air Quality
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| 10:15-10:30 am | Coffee Break |
| 10:30 am -12:00 pm | FAR-UV effects on People: What is Known and Research Gaps This session will focus on the potential impacts of FAR-UV on human skin, eyes, and respiratory tract, including what is known about them, safety studies, and research gaps that need to be addressed. Discussion will focus on the following questions: How do we balance FAR-UV disinfection efficacy with safety? What do we need to learn about safety for the general population to be comfortable with technology, and what are the time scales for deployment vs safety studies? Potential Impacts of FAR-UV on Eyes
Potential Impacts of FAR-UV on Skin
Potential Impact of FAR-UV on Lungs and Respiration
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| 12:00 pm -12:30 pm | Break for Lunch (Lunch Provided |
Attendee List
- Belal Abboushi, PhD
Lighting Research Engineer
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory - William (Bill) Bahnfleth, PhD
Professor
Pennsylvania State University - Vivian Belenky, MS
Research Fellow / Senior Technician
Convergent Research / Columbia University - David Brenner, PhD, DSc
Professor
Columbia Univeristy - Chloe Browne
Director of Communications and Outreach
The OSLUV Project - Richard Bruns, PhD
Economist
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Holger Claus, PhD
Vice President
Ushio America - Peter DeCarlo, PhD
Associate Professor
Johns Hopkins - Ewan Eadie, PhD
Head of Scientific Services, Photobiology Unit
Ninewells Hospital - Delphine Farmer, PhD
Professor
Colorado State University - Jessica Green, PhD
Program Manager
ARPA-H - Gigi Gronvall, PhD
Senior Scholar
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Steph Guerra, PhD
Assistant Director for Health Security and Biodefense
OSTP/EOP
The White House - Aline Heffernan, MPH
Senior Regulatory Advisor, Antimicrobials Division, Office of Pesticide Programs
Environmental Protection Agency - Vito Ilacqua, PhD
Chemist
US EPA - Paul Jensen, PhD
Co-Founder and Vice President
Final Approach Inc (FAI) - Sachiko Kaidzu, PhD
Department of Ophthalmology, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo, Japan - Jana Kesavan, PhD
Research Scientist
JPEO-CBRND; JPM CBRN Sensors - CSIRP - Benjamin Kirkup, PhD
Senior Biologist
US Navy - Norman Kleiman, PhD
Associate Professor
Columbia Univeristy - Jesse Kroll, PhD
Professor
MIT - Julie Liao, PhD
Program Officer
National Academies of Sciences - Alexander Linder, MSc
Senior Analyst
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Michael Link, PhD
NIST - Paul Locke, JD, MPH, DrPH
Professor
Department of Environmental Health & Engineering
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health - Stephen (Steve) Martin, PhD
Senior Research Engineer
NIOSH - Richard Martinello, MD
Professor, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics
Yale School of Medicine - Cameron Miller, PhD
Research Chemist
NIST - Don Milton, MD, DrPH
Professor
University of Maryland - Edward Nardell, MD
EHIID Professor
Harvard - William Nazaroff, PhD
Professor Emeritus
University California Berkeley - Paula Olsiewski, PhD
Contributing Scholar
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - M Pang
Executive Director
The OSLUV Project & Open Aeros - Dustin Poppendieck, PhD
Environmental Engineer
NIST - Lew Radonovich, MD
Deputy Director
National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory - Gurmurthy (Ram) Ramachandran, PhD
Professor and Director, Johns Hopkins Center for Education and Research in Occupational Health
JHU - Katherine Ratliff, PhD
Physical Scientist
EPA - Donghyun Rim, PhD
Associate Professor
Penn State University - Lewis Rubinson
Vice President, Technical Staff
IQT - Ana Rule, PhD
Assistant Professor
Johns Hopkins University - Julie Schafer, PhD, MPH
CTO
Flu Lab - David Sliney, PhD
Consulting Medical Physicist (long-time associate in BSPH) retired from US Army Public Health Center - Jacob Swett, PhD
Executive Director
Blueprint Biosecurity - Richard Vincent, MS
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai - Charles Weschler, PhD
Professor
Rutgers University - Richard Williamson
Program Director
Blueprint Biosecurity - Kristen Willis, PhD
Deputy Director- Antimicrobials Division
Environmental Protection Agency - Alex Zhu, MSPH
Analyst
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security