News
Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense set to inform federally proposed COVID-19 commission
The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense is poised to assist a national COVID-19 commission that would be created under legislation introduced earlier this month. Specifically, recommendations and pandemic plans issued by the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense would be reviewed and evaluated by... Read More »
CEPI invests $3.5M in Clover for COVID-19 vaccine candidate
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) will invest $3.5 million in Clover Biopharmaceuticals Australia to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. It is CEPIʻs ninth investment in a COVID-19 vaccine. The investments total $39.6 million. This latest investment will support Clover... Read More »
IAFC calling on Congress to clear logjams to get relief funding to firefighters
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) is calling on Congress to clear regulatory logjams to get relief money from the CARES Act to firefighters and first responders. IAFC leaders say legal and regulatory minutiae is preventing funding from the Assistance for Firefighter Grant... Read More »
CBP intercepts $25M narcotic shipment
Laredo Port of Entry Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers recently executed a narcotics interception effort yielding hard narcotics with an estimated street value of more than $25 million. Authorities indicated the seizure occurred at the World Trade Bridge when an officer referred a... Read More »
House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats pressure Trump to resume WHO funding
Criticizing President Donald Trump’s unilateral decision to end funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) as reckless, Democratic members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs called on the president to restore funding and to stop putting COVID-19 blame on the organization. Chairman... Read More »
KBR secures contract to expand DoD testing, training capabilities
Professional services and technology firm KBR has secured a $63.9 million Department of Defense (DoD) task order to develop interoperability solutions resulting in expanded military testing and training capabilities. KBR’s scope of work on the DoD’s Test Resource Management Center (TRMC)... Read More »
BARDA partners with America’s Blood Centers, InBios to utilize plasma and develop serological tests for COVID-19
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) announced two partnerships this week in its ongoing fight against COVID-19: America’s Blood Centers, to help collect and distribute convalescent plasma, and InBios International, Inc. to hasten the development of serological... Read More »
Rep. Lucas introduces legislation to authorize more research for COVID-19 fight
U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) introduced a bill in the House that authorizes additional scientific research to fight the novel coronavirus and other infectious diseases. The legislation -- the Computing Opportunities to Vanquish Infectious Diseases Research Act of 2020 (the COVID Research Act)... Read More »
Sen. Grassley urges Trump officials to protect hospitals from PPE scammers
U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) is urging the Trump Administration to shore up the safety of the personal protective equipment (PPE) supply chain and protect hospitals from scammers. “Hospitals and health care workers are busy saving lives and protecting the... Read More »
Boeing completes COVID-19 transport mission
Boeing recently completed another COVID-19 transport mission resulting in 1.5 million medical-grade face masks reaching healthcare professionals at Prisma Health in South Carolina. The Boeing Dreamlifter delivered personal protective equipment (PPE) from Hong Kong in partnership with Prisma... Read More »
Naval collaboration aids COVID-19 gear production
The Office of Naval Research (ONR) recently announced that the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Keyport and the Tech Bridge program are providing those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic with needed equipment. The entities have manufactured over 500 face shields and... Read More »
Industry, health and government leaders unite for virtual event dedicated to eliminating COVID-19
Global health, industry, and nonprofit leaders joined this week in pledging support to defeat COVID-19, uniting them in a virtual event that recommitted to the accelerated development and delivery of vaccines, tests, and treatments. “We will only halt COVID-19 through solidarity,” Dr. Tedros... Read More »
Sen. Markey presses for investigation into removal of BARDA Director Bright
Fallout from Dr. Rick Bright’s sudden removal from his post as director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is growing, as U.S. Sen. Edward Markey calls for an official investigation into the motivations behind the move. Bright has served as BARDA director... Read More »
CDC to award COVID-19 assistance funds
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced last week that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is awarding $631 million to 64 jurisdictions in support of the COVID-19 response. “This new funding secured from Congress by President Trump will help public health... Read More »
Northern Arizona University initiates COVID-19 testing project
Northern Arizona University (NAU) researchers staffing the Pathogen and Microbiome Institute (PMI) have launched the COVID-19 Testing Service Center (CTSC) to grow the SARS-CoV-2 virus and test drugs against it. "The COVID-19 pandemic is a crisis that requires the whole scientific community... Read More »
Oxford University’s COVID-19 vaccine proceeds to clinical safety testing
An Oxford University vaccine for COVID-19 funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) last month has officially advanced into Phase 1 testing, complete with human trials. Known as ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, the candidate is the third CEPI-funded vaccine to enter Phase 1 trials.... Read More »
NIAID strategic plan addresses COVID-19 research priorities for diagnosis, prevention and treatment
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) released its strategy for accelerating research into the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of COVID-19 this week, establishing four key priorities. These priorities include improving key knowledge of both COVID-19 and the... Read More »
BARDA to work with Cytovale on sepsis test
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has struck a partnership with Cytovale to develop a rapid diagnostic system for sepsis as part of the COVID-19 pandemic response. Cytovale’s rapid diagnostic system analyzes the biomechanical properties of immune cells, which... Read More »
New report states public health underfunding ripened conditions for COVID-19
From flooding to wildfires to the novel coronavirus, health emergencies have dominated and redefined public life in the last year. Experts say that keeping Americans safe from these disasters requires a well-funded public health system focused on three key areas: prevention, preparedness, and... Read More »
Emergent BioSolutions to help Johnson & Johnson develop COVID-19 vaccine
Emergent BioSolutions Inc. said on Thursday it will provide contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) services to support Johnson & Johnson’s efforts to develop a vaccine candidate for COVID-19. The vaccine candidate leverages the AdVac and PER.C6 technologies from the Janssen... Read More »
US Senators call on Trump to answer questions on “mismanagement” of Strategic National Stockpile
A group of U.S. Senators recently called on President Donald Trump to address what they see as his administration’s mismanagement of the Strategic National Stockpile. The senators want to know why states were left without the federal assistance and supplies to combat the coronavirus pandemic.... Read More »
Bloomberg Philanthropies to work with New York State on contact tracing model
New York State and Bloomberg Philanthropies are working together on a contact tracing initiative to control the infection rate of COVID-19. Bloomberg Philanthropies, founded by Mike Bloomberg, has committed $10.5 million, along with organizational support and technical assistance, to build out... Read More »
House Energy and Commerce Committee, FDA chief discuss COVID-19 response
House Energy and Commerce Committee members recently met with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen Hahn to discuss the ongoing COVID-19 response. “Energy and Commerce Committee members held a productive discussion with Commissioner Hahn,” Committee Chairman Frank Pallone,... Read More »
Sens. Cassidy, Carper lead colleagues in seeking expansion of COVID-19 tracking framework
Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Tom Carper (D-DE) led 14 bipartisan colleagues in forwarding correspondence to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), urging the agency to expand its existing COVID-19 tracking framework. The legislators are encouraging the CDC to determine and log... Read More »
Johns Hopkins report calls for national antibody testing strategy in United States
In a new report titled Developing a National Strategy for Serology in the United States, the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security argued for the creation of a national antibody testing strategy in the United States to counteract the spread of COVID-19. One of the major problems for the U.S.... Read More »
Democratic senators introduce legislation to expand national service programs, compensation
Under legislation introduced by a collection of nine Democratic senators this week, AmeriCorps would take on more Americans and offer greater compensation, as part of a three-year response and recovery period linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National... Read More »
Nuclear Threat Initiative guide prepares local leaders for ongoing coronavirus pandemic
The spread of coronavirus in the United States has unveiled various levels of inequalities in society, including between major cities with more robust hospital systems and rural communities with less access to resources. The COVID-19: A Frontline Guide for Local Decision-Makers, a global... Read More »
NYC announces effort to produce 3,000 bridge ventilators
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a plan that will produce bridge ventilators to support local hospitals and health care workers. Through this effort, local manufacturers will produce at least 3,000 bridge ventilators, which will be deployed to hospitals in the fight against... Read More »
DHS to award $10M to local communities to fight terrorism
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is awarding $10 million to help communities combat terrorism and targeted violence across the country. The funding comes from money appropriated by Congress for the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program. “Attacks by... Read More »
Department of the Air Force expedites N95 mask production effort
The Department of the Air Force rapidly executed three Department of Defense (DoD) contracts worth $133 million with 3M, Honeywell, and O&M Halyard to increase N95 mask production under the Defense Production Act Title 3. “As the Department of Defense’s Executive Agent for the Defense... Read More »
DoD awards three contracts for N95 mask production
Department of Defense (DoD) officials said the agency has earmarked funds for three companies to increase domestic N95 mask production by over 39 million over the next 90 days. DoD Spokesman Lt. Col. Mike Andrews said the DoD would invest $133 million toward the effort. The contracts have been... Read More »
US inadequately prepared to deal with COVID-19 or other pandemics despite high GHS index score
Despite high scores on the Global Health Security (GHS) index, the United States has fundamentally weak health security, the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) warns, and its struggle with COVID-19 has emphasized its inadequate ability to deal with a pandemic. COVID-19 has spawned more than... Read More »
FDA stresses urgent need for COVID-19 treatments with launch of Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program
Though 72 potential vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 are currently under development, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and its federal health partners note that urgency for additional products remains, and to jumpstart possibilities, they have launched a new Coronavirus Treatment... Read More »
Pharmaceutical firm Roche develops COVID-19 antibodies detection test
Pharmaceutical firm Roche said it has developed and would soon launch its test detecting antibodies in people exposed to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19. The Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 serology test can support priority screening of high-risk... Read More »