Biosecurity Briefing: The National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) met to discuss recommendations to the U.S. government for enhancing reliability of laboratory personnel with access to biological select agents and toxins.
Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:37:44 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/biosecurity_briefing/archive/science_biosecurity/2008-12-15-nsabblabpersnlreliablity.html
Biosecurity Briefing: The Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism delivered its World At Risk report. Notably, the report predicts that a WMD will be used somewhere in the world by the end of 2013.
Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:55:51 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/biosecurity_briefing/archive/govt_response/2008-12-10-wmdcomrptbionucthreats.html
Biosecurity Briefing: Google.org's Predict and Prevent initiative announced grants of more than $14 million to aid efforts to prevent the next disease pandemic. Awardees will undertake efforts to identify disease hot spots and detect outbreaks earlier.
Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:30:07 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/biosecurity_briefing/archive/avian_pandemic_flu/2008/2008-11-03-googlegrantspanprepprevent.html
Biosecurity Briefing: AFP reported that researchers at the World Conservation Congress in Barcelona announced that global warming is increasing the spread of pathogens among wildlife, and this could have serious effects on human health.
Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:42:13 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/biosecurity_briefing/archive/science_biosecurity/2008-10-20-climatelinkinfectiousdis.html
Biosecurity Briefing: Australian gov and U. of Queensland will collaborate in study of diseases that might affect agriculture. Mercury reported the death of a vet who was infected with a new variety of the Hendra virus while examining a dead horse.
Biosecurity Briefing: On June 2, 2008, the United States Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) issued a press release announcing the dedication of its National Center for Medical Intelligence (NCMI) at Fort Detrick, Maryland.
Biosecurity Briefing: On June 20, 2008, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for review and comment from the public.
Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:12:58 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/biosecurity_briefing/archive/govt_response/2008-06-27-dhsdrftimpactnatlbioagro.html
Biosecurity Briefing: NRC Com. recommendations from its second review of proposed construction of the Natl. Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory (NEIDL), a National Institutes of Health-funded Biosaftey Level-4 laboratory at Boston University.
Mon, 12 May 2008 15:48:14 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/biosecurity_briefing/archive/science_biosecurity/2008-05-09-nrccomcallsnihassessbsl4.html
Biosecurity Briefing: According to the CDC, state health departments reported a total of five cases of laboratory-acquired vaccinia infection to the CDC between 2005-2007. Vaccinia (VACV) is the live virus component of the smallpox vaccine.
Biosecurity Briefing: NIH announced two new steps that the agency will take to address public safety concerns about the National Biocontainment Laboratory located at Boston University Medical Center.
Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:39:48 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/biosecurity_briefing/archive/science_biosecurity/2008-03-14-nihentitiesbostonbiolab.html
Biosecurity Briefing: The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) published a study describing the generation of a new research strain of Ebola virus which would be "safe" to handle "outside of a biosafety level-4 facility."
Mon, 28 Jan 2008 14:56:30 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/biosecurity_briefing/archive/agents_diseases/vhf/2008-01-25-ebolasafelaboratories.html
Biosecurity Briefing: The U.S. House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing addressing the lack of federal oversight of BSL-3 and BSL-4 lab facilities, where research is conducted on some of the most dangerous pathogens.
Fri, 05 Oct 2007 19:51:02 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/biosecurity_briefing/archive/govt_response/content/2007-10-05-ushousehearingbiosafetylabs.html
Biosecurity Briefing: On Feb 16, 2007 the AP reported that Indonesia will share H5N1 virus samples with WHO only if developing countries are guaranteed equal access to affordable vaccine once it is produced. Also, Turkey and Egypt report H5N1.
Fri, 16 Feb 2007 17:13:00 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/biosecurity_briefing/archive/avian_pandemic_flu/content/2007/2007-02-16-indonesiasharesampforvac.html
