US weighs biodefense measures

President Bush also calls for advances in cell-culture technology, liability protection for vaccine makers

| 3 min read

Register for free to listen to this article
Listen with Speechify
0:00
3:00
Share

Responding to growing fears of an avian influenza pandemic and threats of bioterrorism, the US Senate will consider legislation as early as this week to give the pharmaceutical and biotech industries new incentives to develop drugs and countermeasures against a range of pathogens, while offering vaccine manufacturers protection against liabilities.

Separately, President Bush yesterday (Nov. 1) outlined a $7.1-billion national strategy to expand domestic vaccine production capacity, detect and respond to influenza outbreaks, and stockpile treatments against the H5N1 avian influenza A virus, whose possible mutation into human transmissible form has sparked fears of a global pandemic.

Various biodefense measures are currently pending in Congress. Prominent among these is the Biodefense and Pandemic Vaccine and Drug Development Act (S. 1873). The bill, authored by Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), would establish a new government agency -- the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency (BARDA) -- to fund and coordinate government R&D ...

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

The Scientist Logo
Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!
Already a member? Login Here

Meet the Author

  • Ted Agres

    This person does not yet have a bio.
Share
3D illustration of a gold lipid nanoparticle with pink nucleic acid inside of it. Purple and teal spikes stick out from the lipid bilayer representing polyethylene glycol.
February 2025, Issue 1

A Nanoparticle Delivery System for Gene Therapy

A reimagined lipid vehicle for nucleic acids could overcome the limitations of current vectors.

View this Issue
Considerations for Cell-Based Assays in Immuno-Oncology Research

Considerations for Cell-Based Assays in Immuno-Oncology Research

Lonza
An illustration of animal and tree silhouettes.

From Water Bears to Grizzly Bears: Unusual Animal Models

Taconic Biosciences
Sex Differences in Neurological Research

Sex Differences in Neurological Research

bit.bio logo
New Frontiers in Vaccine Development

New Frontiers in Vaccine Development

Sino

Products

Tecan Logo

Tecan introduces Veya: bringing digital, scalable automation to labs worldwide

Inventia Life Science

Inventia Life Science Launches RASTRUM™ Allegro to Revolutionize High-Throughput 3D Cell Culture for Drug Discovery and Disease Research

An illustration of differently shaped viruses.

Detecting Novel Viruses Using a Comprehensive Enrichment Panel

Twist Bio 
Zymo Research

Zymo Research Launches Microbiome Grant to Support Innovation in Microbial Sciences