Exploring Far-UVC: Blueprint Biosecurity’s 266-Page Report, a Call for Feedback, and Exciting Career Opportunities

By Juan Benzo🔸 @ 2025-03-22T14:29 (+58)

TL;DR:

• Promise: Far-UVC demonstrates remarkable air-cleaning capabilities. In one of the most promising studies, its effectiveness was equivalent to “changing the air completely over in the room 184 times every hour,” compared to the CDC’s recommendation of 5+ changes—and even hospital operating rooms only require 20 (Wood 2020).
• Neglect: Despite its promise, far-UVC is largely unknown outside academic and niche research circles.
• Tractability: Real-world safety and efficacy data are still pending; no FDA oversight exists, and current research is fragmented.
• Blueprint Biosecurity: They’ve dedicated two years to a 266 page pre-print report—the far-UVC pre-print Blueprint—which outlines research priorities and a path toward public trust, while also seeking to coordinate progress in this space.
• Call for feedback: Before they publish the final version of the far-UVC Blueprint, they are gathering feedback.
• Blueprint Biosecurity is Hiring! Blueprint Biosecurity is hiring for a Project AIR (Airborne Infection Resilience) Program Director and a Government Affairs Director.

A Fresh Look at Far-UVC for Pandemic Prevention

I’m sharing information that I believe is valuable for our EA community about far-UVC—a promising germicidal technology that could play a key role in preventing airborne pandemics. I want to be transparent: I’m not an expert in biosecurity or far-UVC, nor do I work for Blueprint Biosecurity. I have a background in public health, having managed COVID-19 programs for a health department serving 400,000 people. Additionally, I haven’t read the full 266-page report myself; my insights are primarily based on Blueprint Biosecurity’s Research Director Richard Williamson’s Work in Progress post and a quick skim of their pre-print report.

The Promise of Far-UVC

For years, researchers have shown that far-UVC light is capable of inactivating a broad range of pathogens, including bacteria and viruses, while staying within safe human exposure limits. One landmark study in 2022 found that far-UVC reduced airborne bacteria concentrations by 98.4% in a room-sized chamber—a result comparable to changing the air in the room 184 times every hour. To put that in perspective, the CDC recommends just 5 or more air changes per hour in workplaces, and even hospital operating rooms are held to a standard of around 20 (Wood 2022). These figures suggest that far-UVC could be a game changer in mitigating airborne transmission of diseases.

Why Isn’t Far-UVC Everywhere?

Despite these impressive lab results, far-UVC has yet to achieve widespread public recognition or adoption. There are several reasons for this:

• Evidence Gap: While laboratory studies are promising, the real-world safety and efficacy of far-UVC have not been conclusively demonstrated. Unlike drugs, where FDA approval is a clear hurdle, there is no regulatory body overseeing far-UVC lamps. This creates both an opportunity (easy access) and a challenge (lack of public trust).
• Investment Dilemma: Without a single regulatory authority, no company is willing to invest heavily in the expensive clinical research required to build the level of evidence needed by risk-averse institutions. This results in fragmented, academic-siloed research efforts rather than a coordinated push forward.
• Coordination Challenge: A centralized effort is needed to bring together research, industry, and regulatory bodies. Without it, the progress of far-UVC development remains slow and uncertain.

Blueprint Biosecurity’s Role

This is where Blueprint Biosecurity comes into play. Over the past two years, they have been working on a comprehensive plan—outlined in their far-UVC Blueprint report—to overcome these hurdles. Their report (available here) compiles an extensive literature review and insights from hundreds of experts across fields like photobiology, atmospheric chemistry, and public health. Their recommendations span:

• Short-Term Steps: Activities analogous to FDA Phase I and II trials—quantifying safe and effective far-UVC doses in real-world applications.
• Long-Term Trials: Planning for Phase III studies (cluster-randomized controlled trials) to establish far-UVC’s real-world effectiveness.

For more context and background, I also recommend checking out this detailed Works in Progress post by Richard Williamson.

Opportunities and Next Steps

Blueprint Biosecurity isn’t just stopping at the report. They are actively:

• Soliciting public feedback on their plan to refine and improve it.
• Expanding their team—they’re currently hiring for a Project AIR (Airborne Infection Resilience) Program Director and a Government Affairs Director.
• Launching a Substack called Far-UVC Field Notes, where they will chronicle the progress in this space.

While I’m not affiliated with Blueprint Biosecurity, I believe their work is critical and timely. Given the persistent challenge of airborne pathogens, far-UVC might be a promising addition to our pandemic prevention toolkit.