Hot Topics - Diseases and vaccines - Bioterror-related, other than smallpox and anthrax

Hot Topics - Diseases and vaccines - Bioterror-related, other than smallpox and anthrax

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The Topics: *Alternatives *Big pharma *Big trouble *Conferences *Conflict of interest *Diseases and their vaccines *Legal/political *Miscellaneous *Research  *Vaccine-related issues

Diseases and vaccines - Bioterror-related, other than smallpox and anthrax

March 1-7, 2004

►March 5, 2004 - Safeguarding science - A new government panel will attempt to prevent research data from falling into the hands of terrorists - Newsday

 ►March 4, 2004 - HHS Will Lead Government-Wide effort to Enhance Biosecurity In "Dual Use" Research - New Advisory Board Established To Provide Guidance - HHS News U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

 ►March/April 2004 - The Next Worst Thing - Is the federal government's expansion of biodefense research paving the way for the bioweapons of the future? - www.motherjones.com - "It has been called a modern-day Manhattan Project—a spending spree so vast and rapid that it might change the face of biological science. In the wake of 9/11, the U.S. government is funding a massive new biodefense research effort, redirecting up to $10 billion toward projects related to biological weapons such as anthrax. The Pentagon's budget for chemical and biological defense has doubled; high-security nuclear-weapons labs have begun conducting genetic research on dangerous pathogens; universities are receiving government funding to build high-tech labs equipped to handle deadly infectious organisms; and Fort Detrick, Maryland, once the home of America's secret bioweapons program, is about to break ground on two new high-tech biodefense centers."

 ►March 2, 2004 - Scientists: Device rids air of anthrax, other biological dangers - AP via Newsday

 ►Bio-Terrorism Countermeasures – Requirements & Funding - King Publishing Group - conference alert - March 9-10, 2004 at The George Washington University in Washington, DC

February 23-29, 2004

►March 5, 2004 - The development of antimicrobials and vaccines against bacterial bioterrorism agents – where are we? (requires registration or subscription) - Over the next five years, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) plan to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to discover and develop or improve treatment and prevention modalities for agents of bioterrorism. The NIH has recently funded eight centers designated as 'Research Centers of Excellence.' These centers have been awarded $350 000 000 to develop new antibiotics and vaccines to protect the US population from agents of bioterrorism, as well as novel means to detect them. Several other programs are currently under consideration and/or development at the NIH to further expand our scientific armamentarium against these agents. Similar funds are being spent to upgrade the sadly neglected public health infrastructure. The salient question is: will this strategy prove successful in protecting the US from future bioterrorism attacks? - Drug Discovery Today via BioMedNet Magazine

February 16-22, 2004

►February 19, 2004 - British Team Develops 'Black Death' Vaccine - Times, UK via www.immunizationinfo.org (abstract)

►February 19, 2004 - British team develops ‘Black Death’ vaccine - The Times, UK - "BRITISH scientists have made a crucial breakthrough in the war on terrorism by developing a vaccine to counter bubonic plague, the bacteria that caused the Black Death...A vaccine for the bubonic plague, which killed millions in the Middle Ages and is now one of the deadliest bio-terrorism agents, may be available within a year as a result of a breakthrough at the Ministry of Defence’s laboratory at Porton Down.

Comment:  Antibiotics are effective against the plague if given within 24 hours of the first symptoms, according to the CDC.  (Although there apparently is some concern about growing resistance of the plague to antibiotics.)

►February 17, 2004 - Bioterror simulations back targeted treatment - New Scientist 

February 9-15, 2004

►February 12, 2004 - Health law made stricter - Declaring quarantine can be done faster - The Cincinnati Enquirer - "Local health commissioners have more power to confine people during a public health emergency under revisions to Ohio's quarantine laws that take effect today. Inspired by modern risks of a bioterror attack, the changes give health commissioners the authority to declare a quarantine without having to wait for full approval from their boards of health."

►February 10, 2004 - U.S. plans for 'hot labs' split scientific community - New York Times via International Herald Tribune

►February 10, 2004 - New Germ Labs Stir Debate Over Secrecy and Safety (requires registration or subscription) - The New York Times - "A flood of federal money has led to a building boom for high-security "hot labs," where the world's deadliest germs and potential bioterrorist weapons can be studied...The laboratories would more than triple the space to develop vaccines and treatments for anthrax, plague, hemorrhagic fevers and other killer pathogens, officials estimate."

January 26 - February 8, 2004 (2 weeks combined due to illness)

►February 6, 2004 - 'The Challenge is to Stay Vigilant' - Can the nation deal with a bioterror attack?  A top health official says that 'substantial' progress has been made since 2001 -- but more work lies ahead. - Newsweek via MSNBC - "But one issue associated with the smallpox vaccine is the potential for toxicity. Because of that, we got involved rapidly in some contract arrangements to develop a second-generation smallpox vaccine. We already have it in phase one clinical trials and have pilot lots. Within a reasonable period of time, we’ll have a smallpox vaccine that is much less reactive, and therefore much more safe, than the current one."

►February 4, 2004 - Fighting terrorism on the food front - www.foodnavigator.com - "Safeguarding America’s food supply against possible terrorist threats will eat into a considerable chunk of the USDA’s budget next year. The country is also planning to stockpile animal vaccines, following concerns that diseases such as BSE and Avian Influenza could be used in acts of bioterrorism."

January 19-25, 2004

►January 25, 2004 - Front lines local in bioterror war - State dependent on county agencies to take lead in fighting health emergencies - www.ljworld.com - "When a bioterrorism attack happens in Kansas, officials say, local health departments will be on the front lines, and Douglas County is no exception."

Comment:  "When", not "if"?  Is this merely careless speech or reporting?  Do they know something we don't, but should, know?   Or is this just more scare-mongering?

►January 23, 2004 - NHS to get 'dirty bomb' detectors - NHS hospitals and ambulance crews are to get radiation equipment to enable them to detect dirty bombs. - BBC

►January 23, 2004 - Biodefense Agency Urged for Safety of U.S. Troops - Lack of New Vaccines Points to Need, Report Says - The Washington Post - "The Pentagon has not developed a single new vaccine against biological agents since the 1991 Gulf War and should create a new biodefense agency to respond to the growing threat of biological attacks on U.S. forces, according to a congressionally mandated report released yesterday."

►January 22, 2004 - Blueprint on Way for Vaccine Factory to Combat Terror Strikes - The Scotsman -"Plans for a Government-owned factory to produce large amounts of vaccine in the event of a terrorist strike could be finalised within weeks, it emerged today...The rapid response facility would produce vaccine for people contaminated by a chemical or biological attack."

January 12-18, 2004

►January 15, 2004 - Mad cow as bioterrorism? - Scientists worry that US gov't classification of BSE prions as 'select agents' could hinder research - The Scientist  

►January 14, 2004 - Bioterrorism procedures invoked when chickenpox case first appears as possible smallpox - The Casper Star-Tribune

►January 9, 2004 - Monkeypox may complicate bioterror efforts - Similarity to smallpox could make detection of deadlier disease tricky - www.jsonline.com

►January 9, 2004 - New device can help defend against novel biological agents - Vanderbilt University via www.eurekalert.org

January 5-11, 2004

►January 12, 2004 - Public health found still not ready for bioterrorism - Past neglect of the system requires a lengthy and consistently funded repair effort, officials say.  - www.ama-assn.org

December 29, 2003 - January 4, 2004

none selected this week

 

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