News
HHS, DoD tap Quantum Leap Healthcare Collaborative for a phase 2 clinical trial of multiple COVID-19 treatments
The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Defense (DoD) have partnered with the non-profit Quantum Leap Healthcare Collaborative on a phase 2 clinical trial to screen multiple potential COVID-19 drugs simultaneously. Unlike many such trials, which focus on a single drug, this... Read More »Delaware to make Naloxone available for free delivered through the mail
The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services’ (DHSS) Division of Public Health DPH) will allow that state’s residents to access Naloxone free by mail. In an announcement on Friday, DPH said increasing access to naloxone is critical to reducing overdose deaths, especially as more... Read More »
House bill would fund a COVID-19 vaccine awareness campaign
A bipartisan bill authorizing a public advocacy campaign to promote COVID-19 vaccine participation and provide science-backed information was introduced in the House this week. The bill provides necessary funds for the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control... Read More »
DHS, federal agencies draft final rule on White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced plans to implement President Trump’s Executive Order to establish the White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative. The final rule seeks to ensure that religious and non-religious organizations are treated equally in DHS-supported programs.... Read More »
Researchers maintain LED lighting kills coronavirus
Tel Aviv University (TAU) researchers maintain the coronavirus can be killed efficiently, quickly, and cheaply using ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs). Scientists believe the UV-LED technology would soon be available for private and commercial use, suggesting installation in air... Read More »
Funds target Virginia human trafficking
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has earmarked $525,000 in federal grant funding to continue the Hampton Roads Human Trafficking Task Force (HRHTTF) for at least three more years. The funding allotment via the DOJ's Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) would allow the Task Force to expand into new... Read More »
Democrats criticize Trump administration following reports of declined additional COVID-19 vaccine doses
Although distribution of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has begun in the United States, Democrats are criticizing reports that the White House failed to pre-order more doses of the vaccine when it had the opportunity and are pressing for more transparent pandemic planning. News broke last week in... Read More »
NY Assemblyman touts proposed state bill to enact co-prescription of naloxone
New York State Assemblyman John T. McDonald III (D) is co-sponsoring a bill that would enact co-prescription of an opioid and an opioid overdose reversal drug like naloxone in New York, following a trend of similar laws enacted in California, New Jersey, and nine other states. Co-prescription... Read More »
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine found to be safe, 94 percent effective by FDA
In documents released ahead of a vaccine advisory committee meeting on Dec. 17 to discuss the future of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined the two-dose vaccine to be effective and safe for adults. If approved for emergency use authorization later... Read More »
CBP officers seize $2.8M in narcotics at the Laredo Port of Entry
Officials with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Laredo Port of Entry said they have seized more than $2.8 million worth of narcotics in two separate and unrelated actions at the World Trade and Colombia-Solidarity Bridges. “The effort to... Read More »
NDAA includes bill to create Cybersecurity State Coordinators in every state
The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report, which passed in the U.S. Senate, includes establishing a Cybersecurity State Coordinator position in every state. The bill would provide each state with a federally funded Cybersecurity Coordinator, responsible for preventing... Read More »
NDAA includes provision to create Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies
The U.S. Senate passed last week the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA), which authorizes the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies. The Ted Stevens Center will be the first Department of Defense regional center in the Arctic and the first new DOD regional... Read More »
DHS funds target wireless device intrusions
Bastille Networks has secured a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&T) Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) pact to address unwanted wireless device intrusions. Through the Phase 5 Other Transaction Agreement (OTA), the Atlanta, Georgia-based... Read More »
DARPA Gremlins Project evolving as it completes third flight test deployment
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) personnel said recent attempts at airborne retrieval of three unmanned air vehicles, nicknamed Gremlins, was inches from success in the latest flight test series. During the initiative, which began on Oct. 28, each X-61A Gremlins Air Vehicle... Read More »
Sanofi, GSK COVID-19 vaccine delayed to improve immune response in older adults
A COVID-19 vaccine candidate from Sanofi and GSK ran into trouble last week when interim results from a phase 1/2 study showed it to produce little immune response among older adults. While the candidate showed sufficient results in those aged 18 to 49 years, researchers believe its lack of... Read More »
U.S. buys another 100 million doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine as emergency use authorizations roll out
With the distribution of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine underway in the United States and an emergency use authorization (EUA) expected to follow for Moderna’s vaccine this week, the federal government is preparing through massive logistics and additional purchases. The government’s Operation... Read More »
DHS to launch Homeland Security Startup Studio in January
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is introducing a new program designed to commercialize federally funded breakthrough technologies to support homeland security missions. The program, called the Homeland Security Startup Studio, will launch on... Read More »
House committee members urge USCG to adapt recommendations on unmanned systems
House members of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure are urging leadership at the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to adopt the recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report on unmanned systems, or UxS. The NAS report, "Unmanned Systems for Coast Guard Missions: A... Read More »
Maine legislators seek COVID-19 vaccine distribution transparency
A delegation of Maine lawmakers said they are seeking insight from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding transparency and communication with state partners on COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) recently joined Reps. Chellie... Read More »
International Association of Firefighters applauds provisions included in 2021 NDAA
The International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) is commending the inclusion of provisions benefiting IAFF members in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021. “In a year when COVID-19 has been the primary focus of Congress, I am proud of yet another successful... Read More »
Pain clinic medical providers sentenced for operating Tennessee pill mill
Three nurse practitioners have been sentenced for their roles in prescribing massive quantities of opioids from pill mills in Knoxville, Tennessee, representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice said Thursday. In a press release, Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt with the... Read More »
Pandemic Supplies Production Act proposes to nationalize production, distribution of essential supplies for COVID-19
U.S. Reps. John Larson (D-CT) and Joe Courtney (D-CT) recently introduced the Pandemic Supplies Production Act designed to nationalize the production and distribution of supplies deemed essential to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. “As we fight through this second surge of COVID-19, we need to... Read More »
Federal agencies failing to comply with law aimed at reducing synthetic drugs shipped into US, lawmakers say
As of Jan. 1, 2021, all international mail coming into the United States will have to provide Advance Electronic Data (AED) for added detection measures as part of a law designed to help reduce the supply of opioids shipped into the United States through the U.S. Postal Service. But federal... Read More »
Support grows for inclusion of EB-5 reforms in FY2021 omnibus appropriations bill
Congress should include integrity reform measures and a long-term reauthorization of the EB-5 Regional Center Program in the fiscal year 2021 omnibus appropriations bill, according to almost a dozen congressional lawmakers in a letter sent to federal lawmakers. One existing piece of proposed... Read More »
Bill to ban Chinese drones still alive in Congress
Congress backed away from restrictions on drone purchases from Chinese manufacturers in the final push to approve the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), but there is still concern on Capitol Hill that measures must be taken to close a potential espionage peephole that could be built... Read More »
FDA expects authorization of first COVID-19 vaccine soon, following advisory committee recommendation
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is preparing to quickly authorize the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, following an advisory committee's recommendations. That committee voted 17 to 4 in favor of approval. Once emergency use authorization (EUA) is granted, the... Read More »
Bill to improve opioid detection capabilities advances Senate
A bill by U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins’ (R-LA), the ranking member of the Border Security Subcommittee, that would provide border patrol agents with stronger opioid detection equipment has passed in the Senate, his office said Wednesday. H.R. 4761, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Opioid... Read More »
Senators urge Appropriations Committee to fund security grant program
A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators is urging the Senate Appropriations Committee to ensure that the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) is adequately funded to meet the needs of at-risk organizations. The funding support nonprofit organizations that are deemed most at risk of terror... Read More »
Roche signs agreement with Moderna for its COVID-19 antibody test
Roche has formed a partnership with Moderna to use its Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S, or COVID-19, antibody test in Moderna’s mRNA-1273 vaccine research trials. The Roche tests will provide a quantitative measurement of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and help to establish a correlation between... Read More »
NIH funds target Zika vaccine development
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a $2 million R01 grant to a Virginia Tech research team to develop a single-dose Zika virus vaccine candidate. "This grant focuses on a new strategy that we developed to produce safe and effective flavivirus vaccines," Jonathan Auguste, an... Read More »Lawmakers seek FBI, DHS insight regarding QAnon threats
A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requesting a written assessment regarding QAnon threats domestically and abroad. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) joined a group of Democratic colleagues that includes Sens. Chuck Schumer... Read More »
FDA authorizes first non-prescription COVID-19 test for at-home use
Those in need of a COVID-19 test may no longer need to leave the privacy of their homes, even to gather a prescription for it, with news of authorization granted by the United States Food and Drug Administration to the LabCorp Pixel COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit. The first no prescription... Read More »
CEPI to provide up to $10 million for clinical studies of SK bioscience COVID-19 vaccine
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) will provide up to $10 million for the cost of a phase 1/2 study and materials manufacturing for a recombinant protein vaccine candidate (GBP510) created by South Korea-based SK bioscience. This vaccine is meant for use against... Read More »
Age of antibiotic resistance being met with newly unveiled PASTEUR Act in U.S. House
In the United States, more than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur annually, killing some 35,000 people, yet scant financial incentives exist to develop drugs that could treat many of these infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In response,... Read More »