Bioscope ‘07

by  Dr. Barbara Price

What are our biggest advances in biodefense? Where we have put our money?

          The strategy for chemical and biological defense has been to first prevent exposure. Detection, avoidance and decontamination are used to prevent exposure. If operations need to continue in the presence of agents, use collective and personal protective equipment to limit exposure. If physical protection fails or cannot be employed in time, the protection of last resort has been to administer antidotes or drugs to counter the agent (and possibly use pre-treatments to help the antidote action). The strategy for biodefense should be the same, prevent exposure first and use medical countermeasures (vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics) if that fails.

          However, the difficulties in detecting biological agents above a natural background and knowing how many bacteria, viruses or other agents may cause an infection in time to prevent exposure are daunting. In addition, more than with chemical weapons, there is recognition that civilian populations face a similar risk as military populations with respect to biological agents.

          Perhaps this is why the emphasis in biodefense has shifted to medical countermeasures or perhaps this is a result of the majority of the biodefense funds going to the Health and Human Services Department (82% of FY 2007 and 73% of the total since FY 2001 of the federal biodefense funds). This month the Senate Homeland Security Committee requested that the GAO provide an independent accounting for the billions of dollars spent on biodefense since 2001. The Committee cited a report from the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation that "estimates that eleven federal departments or agencies will have spent or allocated more than $18 billion for biodefense research, development, testing, and evaluation by the end of Fiscal Year 2007, a cumulative total that includes programs focused on detection technologies." DoD has lost the biodefense role it used to have.

          Our biggest advances in biodefense have been in expanding basic and applied research and technologies in molecular biology, immune systems and genomics, areas that we previously advanced due to public health initiatives in cancer and AIDS research. Advances in detection, surveillance, physical protection and decontamination have not been dramatic; many of the advances in detection have used technologies already in use in immunology and genomics. With the funding in HHS, perhaps we will recognize the role of public health in biodefense. If so, perhaps funding to provide a robust and durable public health system that can handle intentional biological attacks or natural pandemics will follow and become our legacy for all the billions spent.

For the Professional in Government and Industry with an interest in Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defense, Disarmament and Verification; Emergency and Disaster Medical Planning; Industrial Health and Safety; and Environmental Protection