* US policy bans vaccine exports to five countries Oct 13, 2008
I personally think its a rather silly attitude and the US is probably going overboard as it has in the past with many of its bioterrorism initiatives. . (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Not All Vets Treat Pets -- For Some It's About Homeland Security Oct 13, 2008
Simply put, veterinary pathologists are critical on the frontlines of public health risks like agroterrorism or bioterrorism. The United States military certainly believes veterinary pathology is important. (Canton Daily Ledger, IL)
U.S. limits bird flu vaccine, fearing bioterror Oct 13, 2008
"I personally think it's a rather silly attitude and the U.S. is probably going overboard as it has in the past with many of its bioterrorism initiatives.". This article appeared on page A - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Texas offering $100 million in incentives... Oct 11, 2008
Supporters of the NBAF project say it will establish a next-generation biological and agricultural defense facility to replace an aging animal disease research facility at Plum Island, N.Y. Experts at the proposed facility are expected to research high-risk biological threats and help protect the nation s agriculture infrastructure and food supply against bioterrorism. As a state with an innovative business culture and robust biotechnology industry, Texas is uniquely suited to host this... (San Antonio Business Journal, TX)
Anthrax vaccine to be studied in Seattle Oct 11, 2008
The project aims to find better vaccines or drugs to protect against infectious diseases such as influenza, West Nile virus or bioterrorism agents such as anthrax. A major need for the military is to find a better vaccine against anthrax, a form of bacteria that can be used as an inhalation agent of warfare or terrorism. (Yahoo News -- Anthrax)
More of this story Oct 8, 2008
She suggested the savings be used to create the Bioterrorism Fund the commissioners were looking to establish this fiscal year. As is typically the case, the only other member of the public to attend the hearing was this newspaper editor. (Cut Bank Pioneer Press - Golden Triangle, MT)
Fresno County plans health cuts Oct 7, 2008
Tests also would be run for bioterrorism agents, such as anthrax, he said. Those tests are "where our expertise lies," Moreno said. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Rethinking Who Should Be Considered 'Essential' During A Pandemic Flu Outbreak Oct 4, 2008
That's the conclusion of a Johns Hopkins University article to be published in the journal of Biosecurity and Bioterrorism. See also. (Science Daily)
If Bioterrorists Strike, Letter Carriers Might Deliver Antibiotics Oct 3, 2008
"Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night, nor bioterrorism attack stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds -- especially if they are delivering antibiotics to protect people from anthrax." ... yesterday proposed a solution to one of the bigger challenges in responding to an anthrax bioterrorism attack -- how to deliver protective antibiotics to tens of thousands of people overnight ... Since 2004, the federal government has funded the Cities Readiness... (Washington Post)
February 2003 Oct 3, 2008
President Discusses Measures to Protect the Homeland from Bioterrorism. President Announces State Visit of Philippine President. (White House News Releases)
February 2002 Oct 3, 2008
President Increases Funding for Bioterrorism by 319 Percent. President's Remarks During Tour of Medical Center. (White House News Releases)
December 2001 Oct 3, 2008
President Commends Tauzin, Dingell for Bioterrorism Bill. President Thanks Armey for Public Service. (White House News Releases)
Navy awards local scientist a contract to fight bioterrorism Oct 3, 2008
for free extra services. Subscribe to San Antonio Business Journal. (San Antonio Business Journal, TX)
D.C. faulted for not tracking bioterrorism funds, audit says Oct 3, 2008
District officials have failed to keep track of and use millions of dollars in bioterrorism funds they have received from the federal government since 1999, an audit has found ... 5 million to improve bioterrorism preparedness and response capabilities, according to the audit from the Office of the Inspector General for the ... "Activities funded through the [bioterrorism] program are considered of core importance to the security of the country and ... funded applications should be pursued... (Washington Business Journal, DC)
Army Suspended Anthrax Suspect Last March Sep 25, 2008
Rush D. Holt, D-N.J., has drafted a bill that would create a national commission to investigate the FBI's probe of the anthrax attacks and make recommendations for preventing bioterrorism. Ivins reported the March accident to his supervisors at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases 1 hour and 20 minutes after it occurred. (CBS News)
Report: Anthrax Suspect Barred From Labs After Spill Sep 25, 2008
Rush D. Holt, D-N.J., has drafted a bill that would create a national commission to investigate the FBI's probe of the anthrax attacks and make recommendations for preventing bioterrorism. Related. (Fox News -- Politics)
Sandia puts Internet traffic on map Sep 23, 2008
Sandia is already involved in some high-end analytical tracking of such things, as part of its research on bioterrorism, though it uses different tools. SHINI could also be used to look at events such as the recent string of Oakland restaurant robberies, using the address, date and time, Hurd said. (East Bay Business Times, CA)
Rubber glove sector in the limelight Sep 20, 2008
The emergence of various dangerous diseases, including severe acute respiratory syndrome or SARS, variants of bird flu and bioterrorism, has resulted in growing demand for gloves worldwide. The mandatory use in developed countries, particularly the US and the European Union, as well as rising standards of living in the developing world, is making the use of rubber gloves more routine. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Connecticut Teen Survives Bubonic Plague Sep 17, 2008
" Bubonic plague causes fever, headache, and exhaustion and is spread by rodents, rabbits, and fleas. Being on antibiotics for several days helped prevent the teen from developing pneumonic plague, which can spread through coughing and led to millions of deaths in the Middle Ages, Levitz said. Doctors at Clinical Laboratory Partners in Newington pinpointed the disease-producing pathogen in the teen s blood as Yesina pestis, or bubonic plague. I didn t believe it, said Dr. Jaber Aslanzadeh,... (Fox News)
Doctor hopes Valley fever 'cure' can make it to market Sep 16, 2008
Today, the fungus is so common in Arizona that most don't think of it as a bioterrorism agent, he said. This article is for Paid Print Subscribers ONLY.. (Phoenix Business Journal, AZ)
Study: US vulnerable to chemical, nuclear attacks Sep 10, 2008
Efforts to reduce access to nuclear technology and bomb-making materials have slowed, thousands of US chemical plants remain unprotected, and the Bush administration continues to oppose strengthening an international treaty to prevent bioterrorism, according to the report by the bipartisan Partnership for a Secure America. The group includes leaders of the disbanded 9/11 Commission, the bipartisan panel that investigated government missteps before the 2001 terror attacks on the United States. (Boston Globe)
Officials say a flu pandemic is on the horizon, but when? Sep 10, 2008
Michael Osterholm, who was part of a CDC team working on bioterrorism preparedness, said the next pandemic could be much worse than the 1918 pandemic because today the world has seven times the population and much faster travel for spreading of the virus ... Coulee Region Public Health Consortium, made up of members from Buffalo, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe and Trempealeau counties and the Ho-Chunk Nation, has been meeting once a month for the past five years, working on local public health... (La Crosse Tribune, WI)
Geek squad likely to stick with 'Fringe' Sep 9, 2008
Instead of the explosion that blows apart Flight 815 in "Lost," Flight 627 on "Fringe" is about to be infected (bioterrorism. with a gruesome, face-melting toxin that will lead FBI investigators Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) and John Scott (Mark Valley) on a path that leads to LSD and cows. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Voicing doubts, Congress presses FBI on anthrax case Sep 7, 2008
Bureau officials say they are certain they have solved the nation's first major bioterrorism attack, in which anthrax-laced letters killed five people, after a long and troubled investigation that by several measures was the most complex in the bureau's history. But in interviews last week, two dozen bioterrorism specialists, veteran investigators, and members of Congress expressed doubts about the bureau's conclusions. (Boston Globe)
New 'chemical radar' among national security innovations in ACS podcast Sep 5, 2008
One segment, for instance, focuses on scientific advances toward early detection of bioterrorism attacks with biological threats that the National Institutes of Health calls Category A agents ... Development of an "optical fingerprinting" technique for early detection of smallpox, anthrax, and other bioterrorism agents. (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
Emergent BioSolutions wins $24.3M to fight anthrax Sep 4, 2008
We believe this funding from HHS underscores the U.S. government s commitment to a multi-prong approach in responding to the threat of bioterrorism in our country, the company said in a statement. Emergent did not invent this particular antibody approach it bought the rights to the experimental drug from Avanir Pharmaceuticals in March 2008. (Washington Business Journal, DC)
Scientists uncover Ebola cell-invasion strategy Sep 4, 2008
No vaccine or antiviral therapy has been developed against the virus, and it is considered a high-risk agent for bioterrorism. In addition, recent devastating outbreaks hit in Uganda in 2008 and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2007. (EurekAlert!)
September Ophthalmology research highlights Sep 2, 2008
New government initiatives could hasten this: the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee recently approved health information technology legislation that would provide incentives for physician adoption of EHR. In addition, the National Health Information Infrastructure initiative of the Department of Health and Human Services is working to build a distributed network of government EHR that would support retrospective research, prospective clinical trials, and early detection of... (EurekAlert!)
On the Third Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina; Trust for America's Health Questions State of National Emergency Preparedness Aug 30, 2008
Protecting the Public's Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism report. Read the full report at. (PR Newswire)
Bird with West Nile found in Cobb Aug 30, 2008
Cobb and Douglas Public Health serves children, adolescents, and adults of Cobb and Douglas Counties in metropolitan Atlanta with personal health services, a pharmacy, prevention and health promotion programs, epidemiological investigations and health assessment, environmental health inspections and investigations, and emergency preparedness planning and response for natural and man-made disasters including bioterrorism. Health officials recommend taking the following prevention and personal... (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Metro)
County to expand network of cameras Aug 30, 2008
Allegheny County will receive $750,000 in federal funding to expand a security and surveillance camera system, which officials say will be used not only to track criminals but in emergencies like fires, floods, or potential cases of bioterrorism. Standing in the courtyard of the county courthouse yesterday, U.S. Sen. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Salmonella Outbreak Over: CDC Aug 29, 2008
The Bioterrorism Act of 2002 requires produce processors and distributors to keep track of where food comes from and goes. But the measure excludes restaurants and farms. (Newsmax)
2008 Democratic National Convention: Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Jay Rockefeller, US Senator, West Virginia Aug 28, 2008
We are threatened by loose nuclear weapons, terrorist sleeper cells, suicide bombers, cyber-attacks and bioterrorism. And our strength is profoundly undermined by our reliance on unstable regimes for foreign oil. (PR Newswire)
Social service advocates back Perdue reorg Aug 28, 2008
Public Health protects us from hazards, whether it s bioterrorism or infectious disease, she said. The general public needs all of that. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
San Antonio still pushing for bio-defense facility Aug 26, 2008
Researchers would also study and assess potential bioterrorism threats. Congressman Brad Miller, D-N.C., says he has notified DHS that elected officials in Granville County (where Butner is located) do not want the proposed Bio Agro facility. (San Antonio Business Journal, TX)
Depositions Taken In Anthrax Case Aug 26, 2008
Hatfill, a physician and bioterrorism specialist, worked from 1997 to 1999 in the Army's infectious diseases laboratory at Maryland's Fort Detrick. Hatfill alleges that Justice officials leaked discrediting and false information to the media about him that caused him great harm. (Yahoo News -- Biological and Chemical Weapons)
Tips from the journals of the American Society for Microbiology Aug 26, 2008
Pneumonic plague can also be generated into aerosols and transmitted from human to human placing it at serious risk for use as weapon of bioterrorism. Yersinia pseudotuberculosis shares a genetic identity rate of 95% with Y. pestis, but is much less virulent and rarely attributed to disease-related fatalities. (EurekAlert!)
FBI explains the science behind the anthrax investigation Aug 25, 2008
FBI investigators revealed that Ivins was a suspect in the anthrax mailings that sent bioterrorism fears nationwide after the toxin was sent to news organizations and the offices of Sen. Pat Leahy (D-Vt. (USA Today -- Tech)
Rapid Test for Pathogens Developed By K-State Researchers Could Be Used to Detect Diseases Used By Bioterrorists Aug 22, 2008
"Being able to get such quick results for so many pathogens at once will become critical in case of bioterrorism," he said. "Under that scenario, every minute counts in providing treatment or preventing disease spread." Also, such pathogens would likely be engineered for resistance to common drug treatment and the new test would determine such resistance rapidly, Narayanan said. (PR Newswire)
Rapid test for pathogens developed by K-State researchers Aug 22, 2008
"Being able to get such quick results for so many pathogens at once will become critical in case of bioterrorism," he said. "Under that scenario, every minute counts in providing treatment or preventing disease spread.". (EurekAlert!)
The Anthrax Files Aug 18, 2008
Before 2001, some of us in public health described bioterrorism as an exaggerated threat, Cohen says. No one had ever died from bioterrorism, and we warned that the proliferation of laboratories studying anthrax and other biological weapons agents was a terrible mistake, diverting money from real health needs and dangerously multiplying the number of people with access. (The American Conservative)
Hard work brings rewards Aug 18, 2008
"It was a great two years. We did some 9-11 bioterrorism surveillance in New York. I worked on the West Nile and anthrax outbreaks and a surgical site infection," Christine said. She also worked with the Department of Health in Puerto Rico and held faculty positions at Morehouse College and St. George's University's medical school in Grenada, where she was a visiting professor. (The Augusta Chronicle)
FDA says chemical found in plastic bottles is safe Aug 16, 2008
Reliable, cost-effective U.S. Agent to help you comply with the Bioterrorism Act and FDA's food registration rules. Part of an established law firm with many years of experience. (Yahoo News -- Politics)
Anthrax scientist Bruce Ivins slipped under the radar because of ... Aug 15, 2008
The long delay in focusing on Ivins and solving the case also left elected officials guessing about the origin of the threat that had traumatized the nation as they debated multibillion-dollar policies intended to counter bioterrorism. In the end, the FBI and the Justice Department concluded that the mailed anthrax came not from a foreign state or a terrorist group -- but from someone within the U.S. government. (Los Angeles Times)
Strengthening our strategy against WMD Aug 14, 2008
These range from developing new protections against bioterrorism to responding to a potential nuclear attack on a US city, from developing detectors that could find a nuclear weapon entering this country to supporting the Proliferation Security Initiative and other international arrangements to curb WMD. Since Sept. 11, 2001, the Defense Department's overall budget has grown significantly, but the Threat Reduction Agency's funding levels have been only slightly over the inflation rate, and... (Boston Globe)
Aiea lab tests anthrax treatment Aug 13, 2008
The program's aim is to accelerate the development of drugs and vaccines to protect the United States against bioterrorism attacks. Although a number of other pharmaceutical companies also are developing anthrax treatments, PanThera says what makes its drug unique is that it will be in pill form and target the bacteria in its later stages. (Pacific Business News, HI)
Anthrax Suspect's Funeral, Counselor Speaks Aug 12, 2008
maybe "worst" refers to length of time it dragged on without being solved, or resources spent to prevent a recurrence, or the level of fear it incited, or the degree to which it made us vulnerable, or the notion of "bioterrorism". "worst" isn't necessarily referring to the number of dead bodies. (Washington Post)
Ricin's Deadly Action Revealed By Glowing Probes Aug 12, 2008
8, 2008) A powerful plant toxin, ricin, widely feared for its bioterrorism potential, may one day be tamed using findings about how the toxin attacks cells. Biotechnology researchers discovered that ricin. (Science Daily)
SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE CONSOLIDATED BUDGET Aug 12, 2008
EDSITE (Dale McFeatters, SHNS) -- Congress should investigate why the Department of Homeland Security overruled the recommendations of its experts to choose Mississippi as the site of a new $451 million bioterrorism lab. 300. (Scripps Howard News Wire)
Anthrax suspect remembered fondly Aug 11, 2008
Some people who knew Ivins have said they cannot believe the scientist who liked to work in his garden and volunteer for the American Red Cross was capable of bioterrorism that killed five people, sickened 17 and scared the nation a month after the Sept. 11 attacks. John Barnard, who worked with Ivins at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick between 1992 and 1994, said he does not believe the government's claims. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Anthrax vaccine to be studied in Seattle Aug 11, 2008
The project aims to find better vaccines or drugs to protect against infectious diseases such as influenza, West Nile virus or bioterrorism agents such as anthrax. A major need for the military is to find a better vaccine against anthrax, a form of bacteria that can be used as an inhalation agent of warfare or terrorism. (Yahoo News -- Anthrax)
Suspect in the anthrax attack remembered Aug 11, 2008
Colleagues remembered Ivins for his humor, intelligence and compassion and some people who know Ivins said, cited by Boston's Globe, that they cannot believe the talented scientist who like to work in his garden and volunteer for the American Red Cross would be capable of launching the bioterrorism attack. The case against Ivins does not seem as convincing as supposed to be, some media reports suggest. (Food Consumer)
When dinner makes you sick Aug 10, 2008
A big push for traceback came after passage of the 2002 bioterrorism law, which called for such a system. FDA officials devised ways to detect and respond to the threat of intentional contamination of the food supply by terrorists. (Boston Globe)
Anthrax suspect recalled at service Aug 10, 2008
Some people who knew Ivins have said they cannot believe the scientist who liked to work in his garden and volunteer for the American Red Cross was capable of bioterrorism that killed five people, sickened 17, and scared the nation a month after the Sept. 11 attacks. (AP). (Boston Globe)
Memorial held for anthrax scientist Aug 10, 2008
Some people who knew Ivins have said they cannot believe that the scientist who liked to work in his garden and volunteer for the American Red Cross was capable of bioterrorism that killed five people, sickened 17 and scared the nation a month after the September 11 attacks. John Barnard, who worked with Ivins at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick between 1992 and 1994, said he does not believe the government's claims. (CNN -- US)
Anthrax case spurred field of germ-gene sleuthing Aug 9, 2008
The anthrax killer spurred a whole new branch of science that could give the nation a head start in the next emergency - whether it's investigating more bioterrorism or even a food poisoning outbreak ... Bioterrorism aside, such testing could trace culprits in food poisonings and other outbreaks more precisely than today's more limited genetic fingerprinting, she added. (Anchorage Daily News)
In Anthrax Case, Hindsight Shifts View of Ivins Aug 9, 2008
WASHINGTON -- One night in autumn 2001, as the U.S. reeled from the worst act of bioterrorism in its history, Bruce Ivins was alone in his cluttered Fort Detrick, Md. office, scrubbing phones, walls and furniture. (Wall Street Journal)
Grabbing the Torch Aug 9, 2008
" An considers the threat of bioterrorism after the suicide of Bruce Ivins, and the scientist suspected of carrying out the post-9/11 anthrax mailings. It notes, "So far, terrorists have generally opted for simpler, more spectacular tactics. But as the anthrax case indicates, it takes only one individual who prefers anthrax spores to fireballs. (Slate)
Universal Detection Technology Completes Contract to Provide Radiation Detection Equipment for the 2008 Beijing Olympics Aug 8, 2008
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 8, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Universal Detection Technology () (OTC BB: - ) (Frankfurt: - ), a developer of early-warning monitoring technologies to protect people from bioterrorism and other infectious health threats and provider of counter-terrorism consulting and training services, reported today that it has received and fulfilled a contract to provide radiation detection equipment for the 2008 Beijing Olympics ... Universal Detection Technology is a developer of monitoring... (Primezone Releases)
Anthrax investigation not yet finished Aug 8, 2008
The attacks killed five people and sickened 17 others, becoming the nation's worst case of bioterrorism. Investigators initially focused on another scientist, Steven Hatfill, who won a $5. (USA Today)
Scientist was sole anthrax killer, US says Aug 7, 2008
Even as Justice Department officials declared the worst act of bioterrorism in US history all but solved, scientists and legal specialists noted that the evidence is far from foolproof. Investigators were unable to place Ivins in Princeton, N.J., on the days the letters were dropped into a Nassau Street mailbox. (Boston Globe)
Remarks Prepared for Delivery by U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Taylor at Amerithrax Investigation Press Conference Aug 7, 2008
As you know, this investigation into the worst act of bioterrorism in U.S. history has been one of the largest and most complex ever conducted by the FBI. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has also made an extraordinary contribution to this investigation. Over the past seven years, hundreds of thousands of agent-hours have been dedicated to solving this crime. (PR Newswire)
EDITORIAL: Has FBI solved anthrax case? Aug 7, 2008
The testimony raises the question of why the Army allowed Ivins to work at its bioterrorism laboratory ... Almost seven years after the nation's only bioterrorism attack, the hope is that the FBI has finally found the killer. (New Haven Register, CT)
The case against Bruce Ivins Aug 7, 2008
Taylor presented an overview of the case against Ivins, 62, after the Justice Department released documents detailing the scientist's role in what Taylor called "the worst act of bioterrorism in U.S. history.". The anthrax-laced letters sickened 15 and killed two Washington postal workers, a New York hospital worker, a National Enquirer photo editor in Florida and a 94-year-old woman in Connecticut. (CNN -- US)
FBI Aggressively Probed Anthrax Suspect Aug 6, 2008
The anthrax scare may have been a mad scientist's attempt at bringing awareness to bioterrorism research. And, if that was the plan, "in a sick way it's begun to work," says Katie Couric. (CBS News)
