• Political squabbles hobble H5N1 research

    Indonesia has had the most cases of human H5N1 flu since 2005; it refuses to share the virus samples with Western pharmaceutical companies unless these companies agree to share with Indonesia the profits from the vaccine these companies develop — and also guarantee Indonesia access to a vaccine in case of a pandemic

  • The continuing development of Fort Detrick offers business opportunities

    In some places there is a debate about the balance between the business opportunities and risks that the presence of a BioLab facility offers; in Washington County, Maryland, they concentrate on the business opportunities the sprawling — and growing — Fort Detrick (it covers 1,127 acres and employs more than 8,000 people) offers

  • Researchers show promising approach to avian flu vaccine

    Terrapin researchers are developing a universal flu vaccine for animals; it could ultimately help prevent or delay another avian flu pandemic in humans

  • South Africa declares region bordering on Zimbabwe cholera disaster area

    Thousands of cholera-infected Zimbabweans cross into South Africa seeking treatment; the Mugabe government does not offer medical services to the population, and makes it difficult for NGOs and world health organizations to do so

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  • Economic downturn to hurt medical emergency preparedness

    Progress made better to protect the United States from disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and bioterrorism is now at risk, due to budget cuts and the economic crisis

  • Zimbabwe hit with cholera epidemic

    Zimbabwe is on the verge of collapse: with 80 percent unemployment, and an inflation rate of 11.2 million percent, the country has now been hit by c cholera epidemic; cholera, a highly contagious disease is both preventable and treatable under normal circumstances, but Zimbabwe’s health sector has collapsed as a result of President Mugabe’s policies

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  • New anti-viral shows promise against bioterror agent

    University of Texas researchers successfully tests new anti-viral drug against Lassa fever — an endemic disease in portions of West Africa; CDC lists Lassa fever as a Category A bioterrorism agent

  • FDA opens offices in China

    As food — and food ingredients — imports from China grow, and as China’s lax health and safety standards become more apparent, the FDA is trying to spot problems at the source by opening three offices in China

  • Briefly noted

    ESTA Authorization required for all visa waiver countries as of 12 January… Georgia vet school leak kept quiet… Microsoft infuses “long awaited” with new meaning

  • Anti-bioterror programs may make U.S. more vulnerable

    There are 14 BSL-4 labs in the United States (6 already in operation; 3 completed but not yet operational; 5 under construction), and 15,000 scientists authorized to work with deadly pathogens; critics argue that by vastly increasing the number of researchers and labs authorized to handle deadly substances, the government has made the U.S. more vulnerable to bioterror attacks

  • Disease-carrying travelers still a threat

    It is now eighteen months since the Andrew Speaker saga: Despite having drug-resistant tuberculosis, and although his name appeared on no-fly lists, Speaker managed to fly to Greece for his wedding, travel to Italy, and come back to the United States; GAO says some improvements have been made, but problems remain

  • The ethics of treatment during pandemic

    It is more or less agreed that during the outbreak of a pandemic or a bioterror attack, those deemed “essential” to the functioning of the society should receive treatment first; but how do we define “essential”?

  • Google offers flu-tracking tool

    The tool developed by Google.org, the company’s philanthropic department, uses search terms that are commonly entered into the Internet to work out possible flu clusters

  • Briefly noted

    RSA uncovers IT secure fears stifling business innovation… DHS completes radiological/nuclear detection drill in southeast transportation corridor… Has pandemic complacency come home to roost?

  • 1918 U.K. Spanish flu records help in solving future pandemics

    The 1918-19 Spanish flu killed more than fifty million people worldwide; Aussie scientists study record of the flu out break in the United Kingdom in search for answers about the pandemic quick spread and lethality