The CBMTS IV

Spiez Laboratory Switzerland 28 April - 3 May 2002

Symposium Chair Dr. Barbara Price's concluding remarks:
          Thank all of you for attending the CBMTS IV. We have had 28 countries represented here discussing chemical and biological medical treatment. In the first CBMTS in 1994 we were still listening to papers addressing measurements of LD₅₀ for CW agents and summaries of how antidotes and oxime treatments worked and characterizing viruses and looking at general response type biodetectors.
          Eight years later, we really have come a long way. We are addressing much more complicated medical treatments, refining these treatments, using much more sophisticated instrumentation and really examining the effects of different cell infections on the viruses and the proteins they express. And we, the 140 CBMTS IV professionals, have had many discussions on bioterrorism.
          Sometimes we get the criticism that an author is presenting older work with just a little bit of new material added. This has happened, but even then we have also received comments saying that "I'm new to the field and now I finally understand why that technique is important." The CBMTS offers scientists the chance to talk to each other, not just to listen to papers. It is an excellent opportunity to walk up to another scientist to say, "I'm not sure I fully understand the point of your experiments here, would you please explain why you did thus and such."
           The CBMTS has always mixed bio and chem. And offered us all the chance to learn about both fields. And now we are really combining these fields in our incidence and consequence management approaches.
           Some of CBMTS's real successes have been:

• Better cooperation and collaboration between countries and agencies .
• Standardization of AChE measurements around the world to the point that a commercialized product and method is now available. This was spearheaded by Dr. Rudolf Portmann and Dr. Ladislaus Scinicz.
• Closer examination of sodium bicarbonate in OP poisoning treatment. This concept was first introduced by Dr. Balali-Mood and it is wonderful to see how other medical doctors have not dismissed it, but have gathered together to investigate how it works because it offers poorer countries a more affordable medical treatment of OP poisoning victims.
• Sharing of their database of medical treatment of CW casualties in Iran by the Iranian doctors.
• Looking at an international network of infectious disease centers to expedite communication and treatment of disease outbreaks.
• Information and contacts for scientists, doctors, and policy makers in all countries.
• And finally, discussions of what worked and did not work in various natural disasters, terrorist acts and industrial accidents, which have helped all of us to refine our response plans.

          All of us at the CBMTS are to be commended for our commitment to international cooperation in treatment aspects of chemical and biological agents. We really have brought hope for the future in this field.

Barbara Price Ph.D.
Chair CBMTS IV
Battelle Memorial Institute