The United States Medical Countermeasure Enterprise: A Broken Link in US Biopreparedness
-
Christina England
Abstract
Both naturally occurring disease and man-made outbreaks remain serious biological threats. In order to address these threats, the United States has developed a framework of biopreparedness that includes several bioresponse capabilities, one of which is medical countermeasures. No one in the fields of public health or biodefense would be surprised by the fact that the United States is unprepared to respond to a virus for which no medical countermeasures exist. Additionally, bioweapons made resistant to US medical countermeasures would also be catastrophic. This paper describes the biothreats to the United States today, the development of US biopreparedness, the weaknesses of medical countermeasure capabilities, and recommendations on how to improve this area of biopreparedness.
Acknowledgments
I wish to thank both Mark Jansson and Kathleen Vogel for their constructive comments and suggestions. I would also like to thank the Federation of American Scientists, who oversaw the research for this report.
References
Bailey, Kathleen. (2001) “The Biological and Toxin Weapons Threat to the United States.” National Institute for Public Policy. (October). http://nipp.org/National%20Institute%20Press/Archives/Publication%20Archive%20PDF/Toxin%20Weapons2.pdf.Search in Google Scholar
Barry, John. (2004) The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History. New York: Penguin Group.Search in Google Scholar
“Case Studies of HHS Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Medical Countermeasure Development Programs, Executive Summary.” (2010) The Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise: Innovative Strategies to Enhance Products from Discovery Through Approval: Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.Search in Google Scholar
“Current Challenges and Threats.” (2008) Dispensing Medical Countermeasures for Public Health Emergencies: Workshop Summary. National Academies Press. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK4105/.Search in Google Scholar
“Current Plans and Gaps Regarding Medical Countermeasure Dispensing.” (2008) Dispensing Medical Countermeasures for Public Health Emergencies: Workshop Summary. National Academies Press. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK4112/.Search in Google Scholar
“Dark Winter Exercise.” (2001) Center for Biosecurity of UPMC. Accessed April 2, 2013. http://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/events/2001_darkwinter/index.html.Search in Google Scholar
Dolgin, Elie. (2013) “Animal Rule for Drug Approval Creates a Jungle of Confusion.” Nature Medicine. Web. 5 May 2013. http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v19/n2/full/nm0213-118.html.10.1038/nm0213-118Search in Google Scholar
Gottron, Frank. (2009) “Project Bioshield: Purposes and Authorities.” Congressional Research Service. (July). http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/terror/RS21507.pdf.Search in Google Scholar
Graham, Bob. (2011) “Bioresponse Report Card.” WMD Center. (October). Accessed March 10, 2013. http://www.wmdcenter.org/?page_id=183.Search in Google Scholar
Hodge, James. (2007) “The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act: Improving Public Health Emergency Response,” JAMA, 297:15. Accessed April 3, 2013. http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=206585.10.1001/jama.297.15.1708Search in Google Scholar
Hodge, James. (2012) “The Evolution of Law in Biopreparedness.” Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science 10:1. (March). Accessed March 15, 2013. http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/bsp.2011.0094.10.1089/bsp.2011.0094Search in Google Scholar
Kadlec, Robert. (2013) “Renewing the Project Bioshield Act.” Center for a New American Security. (January). Accessed March 16, 2013. http://www.cnas.org/files/documents/publications/CNAS_RenewingTheProjectBioShieldAct_Kadlec.pdf.Search in Google Scholar
Levi, Jeffrey. (2012) “Ready or Not? Protecting the Public from Disease, Disaster, and Bioterrorism.” Trust for America’s Health. (December). Accessed April 3, 2013. http://healthyamericans.org/report/101/.Search in Google Scholar
Lister, Sarah. (2005) “An Overview of the U.S. Public Health System in the Context of Emergency Preparedness.” Congressional Research Service. (March). Accessed March 25, 2013. http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/RL31719.pdf.Search in Google Scholar
Lister, Sarah. (2009) “The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: An Overview.” Congressional Research Service. (August). Accessed April 5, 2013. fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/128854.pdf.Search in Google Scholar
Lurie, Nicole. (2012) “Project BioShield Annual Report to Congress, January 2011-December 2011.” United States Department of Health and Human Services. (January). Accessed March 10, 2013. https://www.medicalcountermeasures.gov/barda/cbrn/project-bioshield-overview/project-bioshield-annual-report.aspx.Search in Google Scholar
Maher, C. (2012) “Meeting the Challenge of Medical Countermeasure Development.” Microbial Biotechnology 5. Accessed February 22, 2013. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1751-7915.2012.00362.x/full.10.1111/j.1751-7915.2012.00362.xSearch in Google Scholar
Miller, Pamela. (2012) “Emergency Medical Delivery Test Went Well.” StarTribune. (May). Accessed July 5, 2013. http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/150364615.html.Search in Google Scholar
“National Strategy on Countering Biological Threats.” (2009) National Security Council. (November). Accessed March 23, 2013. http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/National_Strategy_for_Countering_BioThreats.pdf.Search in Google Scholar
“PHEMCE Implementation Plan.” (2011) United States Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed March 25, 2013. http://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/mcm/phemce/Documents/2012-PHEMCE-Implementation-Plan.pdf.Search in Google Scholar
“PHEMCE Strategy.” (2011) United States Department of Health and Human Services. 2011. Accessed March 25, 2013. http://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/mcm/phemce/Documents/2012-PHEMCE-Strategy.pdf.Search in Google Scholar
“Public Health Preparedness in the States and DC.” (2007) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed March 21, 2013. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK4105/.Search in Google Scholar
“Public Health Preparedness: Strengthening the Nation’s Emergency Response State by State.” (2010) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (September). Accessed March 20, 2013. http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/pubs-links/2010/download.htm.Search in Google Scholar
“Public Law No. 108-276.” (2004) United States Government Accountability Office. http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-118/pdf/STATUTE-118-Pg835.pdf.Search in Google Scholar
Ressler, Tara. (2012) “Thanks To Budget Cuts, U.S. Remains Unprepared To Combat Future Public Health Emergencies.” Think Progress. (December). Accessed April 3, 2013. http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/12/19/1360611/budget-cuts-future-public-health-emergencies/.Search in Google Scholar
Sawyer, Leigh. (2010) “Where are the Countermeasures?” National Biodefense Science Board. (March). Accessed March 19, 2013. http://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/legal/boards/nbsb/meetings/Documents/nbsb-mcmreport.pdf.Search in Google Scholar
Schneidmiller, Chris. (2013) “Q&A: Bioshield Program Successful After ‘Rocky Start,’ HHS Preparedness Chief Says.” Global Security Newswire. (March). Accessed March 1, 2013. http://www.nti.org/gsn/article/q-bioshield-program-successful-after-rocky-start-hhs-preparedness-chief-says/.Search in Google Scholar
“South Carolina Annual Report on Reportable Conditions.” (2007) South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control. (April). Accessed March 14, 2013. http://www.statelibrary.sc.gov/scedocs/H3496D/000771.pdf.Search in Google Scholar
Stroud, Clare. (2012) Prepositioning Antibiotics for Anthrax. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.Search in Google Scholar
“Taking Measure of Countermeasures: Protecting the Protectors.” (2012) 112th Cong., 1st sess. Accessed April 2, 2013. http://www.dhs.gov/news/2012/04/17/written-testimony-office-health-affairs-house-homeland-security-subcommittee.Search in Google Scholar
“The Biological Weapons Convention.” (2013) The United Nations Office at Geneva. (April). Accessed March 15, 2013. http://www.unog.ch/80256EE600585943/%28httpPages%29/87CF9BFD24A8D05FC1257574004B285B?OpenDocument.Search in Google Scholar
©2014 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin/Boston
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Opinion Articles
- “One DHS” Revisited: Can the Next Homeland Security Secretary Unite the Department?
- A Pathway Forward in Homeland Security Education: An Option Worth Considering and the Challenge Ahead
- Applying Public Administration in Emergency Management: The Importance of Integrating Management into Disaster Education
- Antiterrorism and the Separation of Powers: How Public Administration Theory Can Help Us Meet the New Security Challenge
- The Professionalization of Emergency Management in Institutions of Higher Education
- A Review of “A Framework for Aviation Cybersecurity” – A Decision Paper from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
- Research Articles
- State Officials’ Perceptions of the Food and Agriculture Sector Criticality Assessment Tool (FASCAT), Food-system Risk, and Food Defense Funding
- The United States Medical Countermeasure Enterprise: A Broken Link in US Biopreparedness
- Understanding and Overcoming Information Sharing Failures
- Common Issues in Emergency Public Information as Identified in CSEPP Exercises
- Hurricane Wilma and Long-Term Business Recovery in Disasters: The Role of Local Government Procurement and Economic Development
- Disaster Awareness of Personnel and Students of Kocaeli University
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Opinion Articles
- “One DHS” Revisited: Can the Next Homeland Security Secretary Unite the Department?
- A Pathway Forward in Homeland Security Education: An Option Worth Considering and the Challenge Ahead
- Applying Public Administration in Emergency Management: The Importance of Integrating Management into Disaster Education
- Antiterrorism and the Separation of Powers: How Public Administration Theory Can Help Us Meet the New Security Challenge
- The Professionalization of Emergency Management in Institutions of Higher Education
- A Review of “A Framework for Aviation Cybersecurity” – A Decision Paper from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
- Research Articles
- State Officials’ Perceptions of the Food and Agriculture Sector Criticality Assessment Tool (FASCAT), Food-system Risk, and Food Defense Funding
- The United States Medical Countermeasure Enterprise: A Broken Link in US Biopreparedness
- Understanding and Overcoming Information Sharing Failures
- Common Issues in Emergency Public Information as Identified in CSEPP Exercises
- Hurricane Wilma and Long-Term Business Recovery in Disasters: The Role of Local Government Procurement and Economic Development
- Disaster Awareness of Personnel and Students of Kocaeli University
