Bioterrorism

Oct 19, 2011

(CIDRAP News) – The National Institutes of Health (NIH) yesterday announced it has awarded contracts, which could total $150 million over 5 years, to four companies to develop broad-spectrum therapies that could help the nation respond to a bioterror attack or other public health emergency.

(CIDRAP News) – Though the United States has improved its ability to respond to small-scale bioterror events, it is still unprepared to protect its citizens against large attacks, according to the latest assessment today from a bipartisan commission established to advise Congress.

Oct 10, 2011

(CIDRAP News) – In releasing a new 5-year strategic plan yesterday, the federal agency tasked with developing new medical countermeasures (MCMs) for bioterrorist attacks and emerging diseases said many such products will be ready for regulatory review within the next 5 years.

(CIDRAP News) – US government laboratories had 395 incidents that involved the potential release of select agents between 2003 and 2009, though only seven related infections were reported, according to a new National Research Council (NRC) report.

Sep 22, 2011

(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) – State and local public health laboratories have improved their ability to identify and report infectious disease and chemical threats, and health departments are making steady progress in readiness planning, such as deploying medicines and other supplies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a report today.

Sep 7, 2011