NCJ Number
189883
Journal
Emerging Infectious Diseases Volume: 5 Issue: 4 Dated: July-August 1999 Pages: 1-3
Date Published
1999
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This document discusses the United States biological weapons protection program.
Abstract
Recent biological and chemical attacks have brought to U.S. attention “asymmetrical threats” -- ways in which opponents could attack without directly engaging military forces. This has resulted in bringing the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) into the national security apparatus of the United States. In 1998, the president launched the first national effort to create a biological weapons defense. Almost every nation on the State Department’s list of nations that sponsor terrorism has engaged in chemical and/or biological weapons development. If these nations have armed, trained, funded, and advised terrorist groups, they could provide terrorists with chemical or biological weapons. The current bioterrorism initiative includes a new concept: the first-ever procurement of specialized medicines for a national civilian protection stockpile. The initiative includes invigoration of research and development in the science of biodefense; it invests in pathogen genome sequencing, new vaccine research, new therapeutics research, and development of improved detection and diagnostic systems. The two-year program provides for DHHS research, almost tripling the previous two-year effort, in addition to ongoing work in the Defense Department. Also, it includes a reinitiation of the Federal program to help State and local public health infrastructure and surveillance systems. The program also includes aid to State and local governments for first-responder training, planning, exercises, and equipment.