News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – An expert advisory panel today approved a recommendation that the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) develop a plan to study the use of anthrax vaccine in children before an attack with Bacillus anthracis.

(CIDRAP News) – If someone tried to kill Americans with Bacillus anthracis spores today, the nation would have a better medical tool chest for treating the sick and those potentially exposed than it had 10 years ago, when the anthrax letter attacks killed five people, but anthrax defenses are still a work in progress.

(CIDRAP News) – A federal working group recommends that the US government assess the safety and immunogenicity of anthrax vaccine in children before an attack with Bacillus anthracis occurs rather than after, according to a presentation today before the National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB).

(CIDRAP News) – Reauthorization of the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), which has cleared a US House committee, now awaits relatively minor tweaking before final House and Senate approval, a representative for the US Health and Humans Services (HHS) said today at a biodefense advisory committee.

(CIDRAP News) – A federal advisory board meeting in Washington, DC, today approved a set of recommendations that would help mobilize the scientific response in the wake of major public health events such as the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

(CIDRAP News) – Six new members have been appointed to the National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB), the expert committee that advises the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on preparing for bioterrroism and other public health emergencies, HHS officials announced yesterday.

The six new members replace six whose 3-year terms ended Dec 31, HHS said in a news release.

The new members are: