Book excerpt: The WHO Science Division organized a Consultative Meeting on a Global Guidance Framework to Harness the Responsible Use of the Life Sciences, on 11 March 2021, bringing a broad range of stakeholders that included academia, scientists and researchers, publishers and editors, security actors, public health officers, policy makers, research donors, and representatives from regional and UN entities. The objectives of the meeting were to consult on the scope of the Global Guidance Framework and on the critical elements this framework should address. The outcomes of this consultation will contribute to inform the development of the Global Guidance Framework. The meeting consisted of presentations and plenary discussions guided by a series of key questions. Overall, participants recommended to set up, at international level, a common terminology covering safe, secure and responsible research. Two major themes emerged during the discussions: the need for an overall risk management and a unified approach as well as the importance of awareness, education and training across the different stakeholder groups.