Countermeasures
U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) are encouraging the Department of Defense (DOD) to conduct rapid antigen COVID-19 tests of military service members, their families, civilians, and contractors.
The effort stems from aiding in detecting asymptomatic virus carriers while... Read More »
The Navy has awarded BAE Systems a $197.4 million contract to perform maintenance and modernization work aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp.
“BAE Systems is very familiar with USS Wasp, performing substantial upgrade work onboard before its forward deployment to Japan three years... Read More »
From April through June 2020, New York City hospitals were overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients, and now, a working group of 15 hospital intensive care unit directors and the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security have reported on the successes and failures of that time.
“Crisis Standards of... Read More »
A preclinical study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests that tetracycline-based antibiotics like methacycline, or drugs designed to combat Alzheimer’s and inflammation, may slow infection and reduce neurological problems associated with the Zika virus.
This conclusion was... Read More »
Ohio Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) are urging federal officials to support Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s request to restore and extend full federal funding for the Ohio National Guard’s COVID-19 response mission.
Since the pandemic hit, approximately 2,000 members of the Ohio... Read More »
With the onslaught of the holiday shopping season, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) remind shoppers how consumers can protect themselves from buying counterfeit goods and brand name “knock-offs.”
“CBP’s primary mission is to protect... Read More »
Opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma has pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracies to defraud the United States and violate the anti-kickback statute.
In a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney General’s office said the pharmaceutical company pleaded guilty... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced plans to allocate initial doses of Regeneron’s COVID-19 antibody therapeutic, casirivimab and imdevimab.
The treatments received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Nov. 21 for treatment of... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is seeking commercial technologies to enable night vision for first responders.
Interested parties should submit their products by 5:00 p.m. EST on Dec. 10 for inclusion in a market survey by S&T’s National... Read More »
The Department of Defense (DOD) has awarded its first nine prototyping projects to bolster the industrial workforce sector.
The projects, valued at nearly $27 million, are in conjunction with the National Imperative for Industrial Skills initiative, also known as the Skills Imperative.
" A... Read More »
Last week, Congress passed an Internet of Things (IoT) legislation, establishing baseline standards for government-purchased Internet-connected devices.
The Things Cybersecurity Improvement Act was introduced by Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL), garnering unanimous House approval in September, with the... Read More »
Two federal contracts amounting to $25 million were awarded to Siemens Healthineers by the United States Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Defense (DoD) this month to develop and support domestic production of COVID-19 tests.
The tests use either a nose or possibly saliva sample... Read More »
With the need for nasal swabs for COVID-19 tests growing, the United States Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Defense (DoD) have awarded $11.6 million to Puritan Medical Products Company, LLC to expand the domestic production capacity of Cue Sample Wands.
This contract will... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) criticized the Trump administration for what he calls its lack of action against foreign adversaries, including Russia, China, and North Korea, that have launched cyber-attacks against American hospitals and research institutions in an attempt to steal information... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) is urging Congressional leaders to include his bill, the ILLICIT CASH Act, in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
Warner’s bill -- the Improving Laundering Laws and Increasing Comprehensive Information Tracking of Criminal Activity in Shell... Read More »
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued recommendations to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding supply chain issues mitigation.
While HHS is leading an effort to address medical supply chain issues related to the... Read More »
Three global health entities have formed a group they said would be charged with catalyzing global attention and action, preserving antimicrobial medicines, and averting the disastrous consequences of antimicrobial resistance.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World... Read More »
Members of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) will assemble on December 10 to discuss an emergency use authorization request for Pfizer, Inc.’s and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate.
The candidate made... Read More »
Results from clinical trials of AZD1222, a COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, made it the third major candidate to post late-stage data, with an average efficacy of 70 percent, but with a lower price point and needs than its competitors.
Whereas the two... Read More »
Six potential locations for the U.S. Space Command Headquarters have been selected by the Department of the Air Force, on behalf of the Office of Secretary of Defense.
The six finalists include Kirtland Air Force Base (AFB) in New Mexico, Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, Patrick Air Force Base... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching a pilot program for COVID-19 test kits that provide rapid results.
The pilot program for these portable, cartridge-based COVID-19 molecular test kits will be done in five states, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, Texas, and... Read More »
Gary Disbrow has been named the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and Director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).
Disbrow has served as the Acting BARDA Director and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response since April... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently introduced legislation designed to address healthcare industry personnel personal protective equipment shortages amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) said the... Read More »
After displaying 95 percent efficacy in their COVID-19 vaccine candidate, Pfizer and BioNTeach have filed a request to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to grant them an emergency use authorization (EUA) that would allow its rollout next month.
High-risk populations will be the first... Read More »
A new line of X-ray scanners being offered by Viken Detection, ranging from handheld devices to vehicle-focused drive over scanners, offers law enforcement and others the possibility of greater flexibility and capability in contraband detection, including the possibility to see through... Read More »
Pennsylvania state officials are encouraging the poultry industry to expedite biosecurity practices in the wake of East Asia and Europe reporting Highly-Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) cases.
"Written biosecurity plans are good, but they are only effective when deliberately acted upon day in... Read More »
Air Force officials said Cascade County, Montana-based Malmstrom Air Force Base will be the first site to receive new MH-139 Grey Wolf helicopters to replace the Vietnam-era Huey fleet.
The new fleet is expected to be fully operational by 2023. Malmstrom Air Force Base serves as a vital... Read More »
Lucira Health nabbed the first emergency use authorization (EUA) for an at-home COVID-19 testing kit from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week, opening up a new option for patients age 14 or older who health care providers suspect of having COVID-19.
The diagnostic is a... Read More »
As the world moves closer to one or more potential COVID-19 vaccines, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has formed a collaborative effort to monitor the emergence of new COVID-19 viral strains and evaluate any impacts they may have on those candidates.
Other coalition... Read More »
Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives are seeking information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on BioSafety Level (BSL)-3 and Animal BSL (ABSL)-3 laboratory capacity to conduct animal model research for COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and... Read More »
A group of Senate Democratic recently urged the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to work with state and local officials to identify gaps in ultra-cold storage capability, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
This... Read More »
A new Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and Center for Energy and Security Studies (CENESS) report seeks U.S. and Russia support in sustaining International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) work.
The Future of IAEA Safeguards: Rebuilding the Vienna Spirit through Russian-U.S. Expert Dialogue resulted... Read More »
The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) said the recent successful execution of a missile defense exercise serves as a milestone for the Aegis BMD SM-3 Block IIA program.
Navy sailors aboard the USS John Finn (DDG-113), an Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) System-equipped destroyer, intercepted and... Read More »
A partnership between the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Defense (DoD) known as Operation Warp Speed has accelerated efforts to develop COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics, but transparency is lacking, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said.
Typically, vaccine... Read More »
Federal lawmakers from Oregon are requesting financial assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help offset the costs of fighting the wildfires.
Specifically, they are asking FEMA to assume 100 percent of the cost share for debris removal and emergency protective... Read More »
