Responding to what he calls a need for a bio-defense strategy, the Trump Administration’s homeland security advisor, Thomas Bossert, has promised the White House is developing the first comprehensive plan for disease and biological attacks.
“At this point, we need to look clear eyed at the fact that we may have a devastating pandemic influenza or an intentional anthrax attack,” Bossert said.
While attending the annual Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, Bossert said that the plan being developed by the White House would involve retired Admiral Tim Ziemer, who previously oversaw efforts to fight malaria for the Obama Administration. While the Bush and Obama Administrations both took steps to address biological threats in the years following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Bossert notes the investments have seen a lot of start and stop.
Bossert claims the new strategy is coming to publication “as soon as we can,” while skirting specific details.
“We have not had as a country a comprehensive bio-defense strategy ever,” Bossert said. “It’s high time we had a bio-defense strategy.”
Pointing to recent events as evidence, Bossert noted that scientists in Canada had recently used commercially available genetic material to rebirth the extinct horse pox virus. He said that such things are proof a synthetic smallpox virus could be produced and demand attention.
While some experts have criticized the Trump Administration for cutting global health program funding, the development of a comprehensive White House plan could ease concerns that the country would not be able to respond to or prevent biological threats like pandemics.