Countermeasures
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced plans this week to release guidance on the systematic screening of tuberculosis (TB), including an updated means of addressing the disease through new approaches, new technologies, and the latest evidence.
“Systematic screening is critical to... Read More »
Organizations gained an easy way to assess the costs of COVID-19 testing plans this week, in the form of a free, online calculator funded and launched by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Recognizing that... Read More »
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes a bill introduced by U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz (D-HI) and John Thune (R-SD) that will ensure more people receive emergency alerts.
The bill, the Reliable Emergency Alert Distribution Improvement (READI) Act, would bolster the emergency alert... Read More »
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report includes provisions from the Artificial Intelligence for the Armed Forces Act, which looks to bolster the military’s artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.
“The complexity of 21st-century warfare requires that our armed... Read More »
Experts from 21 countries, industry, and non-government organizations gathered virtually last month for the 12th meeting of the Global Dialogue on Nuclear Security Priorities - focusing on enhancing nuclear security engagement.
The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) indicated the session addressed,... Read More »
The Department of Defense (DoD) has initiated eight Defense Production Act Title III actions as a means of retaining workforce capabilities throughout disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The action would also restore some jobs lost due to the pandemic while sustaining and strengthening... Read More »
Under the terms of a new agreement, Kaneka Eurogentec S.A. will help produce INOVIO’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate, INO-4800, joining a global manufacturing consortium that also includes Thermo Fisher Scientific, Richter-Helm BioLogics, and Ology Biosciences.
"Our partnership with Kaneka... Read More »
The latest test to be authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) represents a major milestone amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: the first combination test capable of detecting both COVID-19 and influenza A and B using samples collected at home.
“With just one swab or sample,... Read More »
Legislation that would create a National Cyber Director has been included in the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The bill to establish the position, the National Cyber Director Act, was introduced by Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI), the commissioner of the Cyberspace... Read More »
According to a new report by IBM Security X-Force, malicious cyber actors are targeting the COVID-19 cold chain, an integral part of delivering and storing a vaccine at safe temperatures.
Cyber attackers, posing as officials from biomedical companies, are sending phishing emails to executives... Read More »
The World Health Organization (WHO) is advocating equitable COVID-19 vaccine global access, noting that placing low and lower-middle-income nations (LLMICs) without access would cause significant economic damage.
The WHO-led ACT Accelerator serves a unique global collaboration supporting... Read More »
Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH), Ben Cardin (D-MD), John Thune (R-SD), and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) introduced last week a measure they said is designed to address funding for a COVID-19 vaccine public advocacy campaign.
The bill would fund a science-driven public advocacy campaign, ensuring when an... Read More »
With flu season looming, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) announced plans this week to work with Chembio Diagnostics, Inc. to develop two rapid point-of-care antigen tests capable of detecting and differentiating between COVID-19 and influenza.
Both tests -- the... Read More »
As the world deals with the ongoing chaos and death inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic, INTERPOL is warning of a new threat to global hopes: organized crime networks are targeting COVID-19 vaccines, both physically and online.
In a global Orange Notice alert to the organization’s 194 member... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) has introduced a bill that encourages medical manufacturers to keep their manufacturing operations in the United States.
The Mobilize America to Manufacture Equipment Required for Independence from Communist Adversaries Act (Mobilize AMERICA Act) would provide an... Read More »
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that the Department of Defense has made progress on efforts to improve the readiness and lethality of the U.S. Navy and Marines.
The significant readiness challenges have developed over more than a decade of conflict, budget uncertainty,... Read More »
U.S. Air Force recently reported that it is experiencing its highest retention levels in 20 years and is reviewing voluntary opportunities allowing greater flexibility as Airmen make long-term career choices.
Officials indicated the retention rate is second only to rates recorded shortly after... Read More »
The U.S. Army has awarded a $66 million contract to Textron Systems Corporation for 36 Shadow aircraft in the latest Block III configuration.
“We are proud to maintain our strong partnership of more than 20 years with the U.S. Army on the Shadow program,” Textron Systems Senior Vice... Read More »
In preparation for rising cases of COVID-19, the United States Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Defense (DoD) have purchased an additional 650,000 doses of Eli Lilly and Company’s investigational monoclonal antibody therapeutic, bamlanivimab.
This puts the total number of... Read More »
Roche Diagnostics’ new Elecsys SARS-CoV-2 antibody test gained emergency use authorization (EUA) from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week, granting a new blood test to test those who may have been exposed to COVID-19.
The test detects antibodies directed against the... Read More »
Valneva SE, a biotech company headquartered in France, on Wednesday announced plans to accelerate the pediatric development of its Lyme disease vaccine candidate, VLA15, which is being co-developed with Pfizer Inc.
“We are pleased that Pfizer and Valneva have decided to accelerate this... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has made the necessary preparations for the immediate mass shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine once they are ready to go.
The Department of Transportation has been working with Operation Warp Speed officials over the past few weeks to coordinate with... Read More »
Smiths Detection has been awarded a $4 million contract by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to supply an explosives trace detector to airports across the United States.
The two-year contract is for the supply of Smiths IONSCAN 500 DT Explosives Trace Detection Systems (ETD). The... Read More »
The Army has awarded a $911 million contract to Oshkosh Defense to produce 2,738 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV), 1,001 companion trailers, and associated kits.
The contract represents the second largest order of Oshkosh Defense JLTVs. The equipment will be supplied to the Army, Navy,... Read More »
Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL) has forwarded correspondence to President Donald Trump advocating for the full restoration of federal funding for the National Guard’s COVID-19 response efforts.
Bustos said the funding allotment is slated to expire at the end of the year.
“With the confirmed... Read More »
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is expanding a contract with Chrysalis BioTherapeutics, Inc. to pursue the development of TP508, or Chrysalin, a peptide with the potential to counteract injuries resulting from extreme radiation exposure.
Radiation exposure can... Read More »
Public trust must be maintained in preparing for and responding to another large-scale biological event like the ongoing novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a former Trump administration emergency management expert told the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense on Monday.
Tom Bossert,... Read More »
With the temporary approval of the Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the United Kingdom has become the first country to initiate an emergency use authorization (EUA) for a COVID-19 vaccine created by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech.
Earlier studies showed the vaccine to be 94.1... Read More »
New guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease have been developed through a collaboration between the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the American Academy of Neurology, and the American College of Rheumatology.
The guidelines offer recommendations for... Read More »
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) made several recommendations related to the COVID-19 pandemic to increase transparency and accountability among federal agencies.
The GAO report outlined that the United States has had more than 10 million cumulative cases of COVID-19 and... Read More »
Bayer officials said a newly introduced spray solution combats resistant mosquitoes and controls worldwide vector-borne diseases.
Fludora Co-Max addresses Aedes mosquito-borne arboviruses such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya by combining two active ingredients with unrelated modes of action -... Read More »
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel said the agency has launched an initiative designed to address fraudulent COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.
The agency's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) initiated Operation Stolen Promise 2.0, which is designed to serve as the next... Read More »
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has tapped the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) to investigate a second COVID-19 on December 17: mRNA-1273, a Moderna, Inc. candidate that fared well in clinical testing.
Moderna recently announced the vaccine had... Read More »
With 94.1 percent efficacy figures pulled from a phase three COVE study of its mRNA-1273 vaccine for COVID-19, Moderna, Inc. has officially filed for emergency use authorization (EUA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The study consisted of more than 30,000 participants and, at... Read More »
A group of Democratic U.S. senators recently urged Congressional leaders to provide funding to ensure the swift distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
With the news of at least one COVID-19 vaccine could be available to be distributed before the end of the year, many state and local governments... Read More »
