Technology and Counter-Terrorism (From Countering Biological Terrorism in the U.S.: An Understanding of Issues and Status, P 149-154, 1999, David W. Siegrist, Janice M. Graham, et al., -- See NCJ-191561)

• NCJ Number: 191572
• Author(s): David Siegrist
• Date Published: 1999
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: Potomac Institute for Policy Studies
• Sale Source: Oceana Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Book Chapter
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter examines how the United States should counter biological terrorism.

Abstract

The United States should leverage and exploit its research capabilities to overcome potential threats to bioterrorism. Detection technologies and advanced medical procedures exist and could prevent biological terrorism. An advanced detection system could take advantage of the latency periods of many diseases so that medical countermeasures, such as vaccines, could be administered to those infected. It has been estimated that the economic cost of exposure to anthrax would equal $26 billion per 100,000 people infected. If the chance of a major attack is 5 percent, it might be worthwhile to spend $10 billion to combat biological terrorism. Not enough attention is being paid to developing medical and non-medical countermeasures systems, including detection and decontaminating systems. Research could find ways in which to prevent toxins from being passed from healthy cell to healthy cell. Academic research is aimed at producing publications, rather than products, which slows down the production of needed products. Commercial and military sectors should cooperate to develop vital new drugs quickly because they could mitigate against the greatest number of potential threats. They would protect the population against naturally occurring diseases as well as those released by man, and have a high market potential.