NCJ Number
191171
Date Published
1999
Length
299 pages
Annotation
The report describes current civilian capabilities and research and development (R&D) programs in combating chemical and biological terrorism and identifies areas in which innovative R&D is clearly needed to cope with terrorism.
Abstract
The World Trade Center bombing in 1993 forced Americans to realize that terrorism was not something that occurred only overseas. Biological weapons have added a new dimension for coping with terrorism. For these reasons, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) was asked by the Department of Health and Human Services to: (1) collect research and development on detecting potential chemical and biological agents and protecting and treating both the targets of attack and health care providers, and 2) provide recommendations for priority research and development. There needs to be a system in every State and major metropolitan area to ensure that medical facilities, including the State epidemiology office, receive information on actual, suspected, and potential terrorist activity. R&D needs include a formal communication network between the intelligence community and the medical community. Civilian commercial products should continue to be tested for suitability against chemical warfare agents. Research is still needed addressing the bulk, weight, and heat stress imposed by current protective suits, developing a powered air respirator with greatly increased protection, and in providing detailed guidance for hospitals on dermal and respiratory protection. R&D needs include increased protection factors for respirators, protective suits with less bulk, and evaluation of the impact of occupational regulations governing use of personal protection equipment. The civilian medical community must find ways to adapt the many new and emerging detection technologies to the spectrum of chemical and biological warfare agents. R&D needs include evaluation of current hazardous materials chemical detection equipment for ability to detect chemical warfare agents and simple methods of determining exposure to chemical agents from clinical samples. Improvements in Centers for Disease Control, State, and local surveillance and epidemiology infrastructure must be undertaken immediately. R&D in decontamination and triage should concentrate on operations research to identify methods and procedures for triage and rapid, effective, and inexpensive decontamination of large groups of people, equipment, and environments. Officials should conduct operations research on stockpiling and distribution of currently available antidotes for nerve agents and cyanide and give high priority to research on an effective treatment for vesicant injuries, improved vaccines against both anthrax and smallpox, development of a new anti-smallpox drug, and research on broad spectrum antiviral and novel antibacterial drugs. Educational materials on chemical and biological agents are badly needed by both the general public and mental health professionals. Computer software R&D should concentrate in three areas: event reconstruction from medical data, dispersion prediction and hazard assessment, and decontamination and reoccupation decisions. Abbreviations. References, appendices, glossary