You require a permit in accordance with the Infection Protection Act if you, as the person responsible, wish to import pathogens into Germany, export them from Germany, store them, hand them over or work with them.

Pathogens are defined as viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites and other agents that can cause an infection or transmissible disease in humans.

Activities involving pathogens include in particular

• Experiments with pathogens capable of reproduction,
• microbiological and serological tests to identify pathogens that must be reported,
• targeted enrichment or multiplication of pathogens.

Certain persons or activities are exempt from the authorization requirement:

• Doctors, dentists and veterinarians who carry out microbiological tests for diagnostic purposes on their own patients

• Persons who

• carry out work for microbiological quality assurance and
• have the necessary expertise and
• the competent authority exempts them from the licensing requirement upon request

• Employees who work under the supervision of a person who has a permit or is exempt from the permit requirement
• certain procedures (e.g. sterility tests)

If you belong to one of the above groups, please contact your local health authority before starting work. You must notify them of the activity.