Government
A partnership between the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and biotechnology company Genentech will yield a phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate two investigational drugs for the treatment of severe COVID-19 cases: anti-ST2 and IL-22-Fc.
The drugs will be tested on... Read More »
In separate statements released this week, both the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense and the nonpartisan, nonprofit Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) expressed concern with the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Terminating the U.S.... Read More »
More than 30 countries and international partners/institutions have rallied behind the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP), a new initiative from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Costa Rica designed to make scientific tools to fight COVID-19 universally available.
The show of unity... Read More »
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said the initial launch of six Cyber Essentials Toolkits provides small businesses and government agencies with a foundational means of addressing cybersecurity risks.
“We thank all of our partners in government and the private... Read More »
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) officials said a pair of California-based firms have been selected to participate in its Gamma Ray Inspection Technology (GRIT) program to aid medical applications.
Lumitron Technologies and RadiaBeam Technologies have initiated efforts to... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) introduce legislation directing federal agencies to share real-time information about testing supply inventory and shortages publicly.
Hospitals, health care systems, nursing homes, and first responders have struggled to obtain tests and other critical supplies... Read More »
Operation Warp Speed, the White House-created program to speed up COVID-19 vaccine candidate development and manufacturing domestically, will benefit from a $628 million expansion of an existing public-private partnership with Emergent BioSolutions Inc., the U.S. Department of Health and Human... Read More »
U.S. Coast Guard, Navy, and Royal Canadian navy personnel maintain a recently signed five-year strategic plan will establish the foundation for future coordination and joint operations.
“Whether it’s combating criminal activity by international drug cartels in the eastern pacific, or... Read More »
The Department of Defense (DoD) recently announced that two entities are collaborating to build and test a fifth-generation (5G) cellular network.
The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) and the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center (USAFWC) are partnering... Read More »
Under a $4.6 million contract with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and Defense Innovation United (DIU), PercuSense has been tapped to develop a continuous biosensor system for early detection of potential toxic chemical exposure among soldiers and first responders.
PercuSense, a... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jim Risch (R-ID), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) last week introduced legislation designed to better detect and contain infectious disease outbreaks overseas before they become global pandemics.
The Global Health Security and Diplomacy Act (GHSDA) requires the president to... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and John Cornyn (R-TX) are urging President Donald Trump to avoid nuclear arms control treaties that put constraints on the United States while allowing adversaries to build up their nuclear arsenals.
“You and your administration have long... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) are seeking information from leadership at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the agency’s efforts to maintain food safety and address food supply disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although COVID-19 is not known... Read More »
Following a response to her request of state and federal agencies to provide a detailed account of COVID-19 response efforts, U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne’s (D-IA) has launched a data tracker to provide accountability in the system.
Announcing her efforts as a matter of transparency, Axne has now... Read More »
A new reference panel being offered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposes an additional, independent validation step to guarantee the quality of COVID-19 diagnostic tests.
Since COVID-19 reached U.S. shores earlier this year, many tests have arisen to detect its viral cause:... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials said Office of Field Operations (OFO) personnel at the Hidalgo International Bridge seized $2,446,000 worth of alleged methamphetamine concealed within a vehicle.
On May 23, an officer encountered a brown 1999 Ford F150 pickup driven by a 20-year-old... Read More »
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report detailing the process of developing a COVID-19 vaccine.
The United States government is funding multiple efforts to develop vaccines. GAO said it is an expensive, lengthy process that involves a series of steps first to identify... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Jason Crow (D-CO) introduced a bill on May 22 that would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to clarify the national biodefense strategy and implementation plan.
The bill, called the RASPP Act (H.B. 6966), follows a Government Accountability... Read More »
Social media companies need to step up and use the technology they already have to limit extremist groups from spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories online, experts said Wednesday during a U.S. House Homeland Security Committee virtual forum on extremism during the COVID-19 pandemic.... Read More »
It is past time for a national COVID-19 vaccine plan from the Trump administration, according to House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders so that the country can plan for development, manufacturing, distribution, training, and education linked to these efforts, along with broad vaccine... Read More »
Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) are seeking information regarding the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) preparedness in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The legislators recently forwarded correspondence to Admiral Karl Schultz, expressing concern the pandemic could threaten... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has modified the FY2019 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant program to allow firefighting organizations greater access.
Following the revisions, certain cost share, salary cap, supplanting, and minimum budget restrictions... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet (D-CO), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MI) introduced a bill designed to improve the Strategic National Stockpile and strengthen the domestic manufacturing of supplies.
The lack of critical medical supplies across the domestic supply chain forced the... Read More »
A group of Republican senators introduced legislation requires national security evaluation and clearance for all Chinese student visa holders taking part in activities related to COVID-19 vaccine research.
The COVID-19 Vaccine Protection Act – sponsored by Sens. Martha McSally (R-AZ), Rick... Read More »
Air Force officials have launched a new initiative designed to keep the branch’s supply chain system independent of the civilian medical market amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Air Force Rapid Agile Manufacturing Platform (AFRAMP) seeks to leverage the full capacity of the nation's... Read More »
Through its COVID-Local site, the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) has released a guide of new metrics meant to guide local leaders and state officials in safely reopening the United States.
The site now includes interactive graphics and downloadable PDFs, meant to aid assessment of existing... Read More »
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulators have moved against dozens of supposed COVID-19 antibody tests that have never been shown to work, publishing a list of those that failed to file applications or have already pulled their products voluntarily.
There are 28 on that list so far,... Read More »
Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell announced several reforms to increase efficiency within the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), which is part of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).
The changes, based on the recommendations of career... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has begun distributing billions in additional relief funds to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nursing homes have faced unique challenges as their population of high-risk seniors are more vulnerable to... Read More »
Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) has introduced two measures he said are designed to address medical supply chain vulnerabilities while increasing capacity for domestic manufacturing of drugs and medical devices.
The Pharmaceutical Accountability, Responsibility, and Transparency (PART) Act would expand... Read More »
Two agencies are espousing the benefits of the Innovation Summit for Preparedness and Resilience (InSPIRE), which is dedicated to fostering policy and technology innovation for preparedness and resilience.
The summit was hosted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology... Read More »
Recognizing the dangers presented by COVID-19 to the elderly and immunocompromised in particular, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has partnered with VitalConnect to create a wearable monitor that could provide early warning signs and improve patient... Read More »
Members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a teleconference forum former director of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) to improve its readiness for events like COVID-19 pandemic.
The Strategic National Stockpile is a federal resource designed to supplement state and local... Read More »
Several U.S. Senators have reached out to the leadership at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) about attempts by the Chinese to steal intellectual property related to COVID-19.
The FBI and CISA had sent out a joint notice,... Read More »
Marine Corps personnel said the Systems Command’s Program Manager for Infantry Weapons (PM IW) has initiated a modernization project designed to increase infantry squad lethality.
“This is the largest modernization of the infantry squad in the last 25 years,” Lt. Col. Tim Hough, Marine... Read More »
