• DHS in Manhattan, Kansas, to discuss the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility

    DHS visits the site of the site of the planned $725 million National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas, on the campus of the Kansas State University; DHS officials held a public meeting with Manhattan residents to discuss the new lab

  • Epidemic, bioterrorism study in Las Vegas

    A research project in Nevada looks to help hospitals and public health officials do a better job of quickly identifying the sources and pathways of influenza, E. coli, and other contagious pathogens that can quickly spread through a population; the project will also help in designing ways to cope with a bioterror attack

  • Former colleague defends Bruce Ivins using back-of-the-envelope math

    A former colleague of Bruce Ivins, who, according to the FBI, was behind the 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States, says the FBI was wrong: it would have taken Ivins at least a year of dedicated work to grow the total amount of anthrax spores contained in the eight letters, and that could not have been done in secrecy; other scientists dispute this assertion

  • Ricin: the most potent -- and readily available -- bioterrorism weapon

    Ricin is of particular concern when it comes to bioterror agents: ricin is not only deadly, but it is also easy to obtain; it is a natural ingredient in the seeds of castor oil plants, which are used in the industrial production of brake fluid, varnish, soap, ink and other products; researchers offer ways to protect human cells from ricin

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  • U.S. not ready for clean up effort after a bioterror attack

    The small 2001 anthrax attack in the United States cost hundreds of millions of dollars in decontamination costs, and some of the facilities attacked could not be reopened for more than two years; a large-scale biological release in an American city, though, could potentially result in hundreds of thousands of illnesses and deaths and could cost trillions of dollars to clean up

  • Tularemia bacteria detected in Columbus, Ohio; no bioterror attack suspected

    BioWatch sensors in Columbus, Ohio, last week picked up higher than normal presence of the bacteria tularemia — a bacteria which may be used in bioterror attacks; Columbus Public Health officials continued to emphasize that people are not at risk and there is no suspicion that bioterrorism was attempted here

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  • ACLU blasts Michigan prosecutors for bioterrorism charge against HIV-positive man

    Prosecutors in Michigan are charging an HIV-positive man with violating the state’s bioterrorism law for biting his neighbors during an altercation; the ACLU claims the statute behind the state’s bioterrorism law was not intended to cover an HIV-person biting another person; prosecutors charged the man with assault and later added a bioterrorism charge on claims he was trying to use the virus as a weapon

  • Synthesized polymer neutralizes both biological and chemical weapons

    Biological tissues to respond rapidly and appropriately to changing environments; this logic was applied by University of Pittsburgh researchers: they have synthesized a single, multifunctional polymer material that can decontaminate both biological and chemical toxins

  • Experts: Weak biosafety laws in Africa an invitation to bioterrorists

    To feed the growing number of people on the African continent, food production on the continent must be increased by up to 300 percent by 2050, and scientists say the only way to do so is by using biotechnology; many are worried that weak or nonexistent biosafety laws in Africa would make it easy for bioterrorists to exploit increased biotechnology activity for their nefarious purposes

  • How best to protect first responders from anthrax

    The first responders who rushed to Senator Tom Daschle’s office on 15 October 2001 were protected by personal protective equipment (PPE); yet, nasal swabs taken from them after they got out of the building revealed that some had been exposed to anthrax; experts argue that first responders and emergency personnel should all be vaccinated

  • Two New York labs to develop anti-botulism drugs

    U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory and Stony Brook University’s Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery to receive $1.4 million in Department of Defense research funds to develop anti-botulism drugs

  • PharmAthene says its anthrax vaccine is superior to first-generation vaccine

    PharmAthene’s anthrax vaccine, called SparVax, will require three doses over a 60-day period — the first-generation vaccine requires five doses over 18 months; a course of treatment with the currently available vaccine costs about $125; SparVax would cost just $45 a treatment

  • $150 million anthrax vaccine contract goes to firm with close Democratic Party ties

    The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on the evening of 29 December that it was awarding PharmAthene $150 million to develop and produce an anthrax vaccine; FOXNews notes the strong ties to the Democratic Party of senior company executives

  • Europe would be better with a generic, rather than disease-specific, pandemic response plan

    New study argues that the emphasis in Europe on disease-specific emergency plans utilized by most European countries could cost precious time and resources; “Countries and organizations invest enormous resources in developing plans for specific diseases, which may not even present a threat in the future,” the study says

  • U.S. anthrax response undermined by public ignorance, lack of confidence in government

    A Harvard School of Public Health’s survey found that nearly 40 percent of respondents who said they would likely accept antibiotic pills distributed from public health authorities after an anthrax attack also said they would not start taking them immediately; about 35 percent indicated they would hold onto the drugs until they knew for certain they had been exposed to anthrax