Threats
Bills seek to reform federal wildfire disaster response
U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) introduced last week two bills to address the government's wildfire response and equitable distribution of natural disaster resources. The FIRE Act would revise the Stafford Act governing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),... Read More »
CISA issues guidance on reducing known exploited vulnerabilities
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued guidance to prioritize remediation of vulnerabilities presently actively exploited by adversaries. Binding Operational Directive (BOD) 22-01 - Reducing the Significant Risk of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities establishes a... Read More »
Rep. Katko, Sen. Wicker address potential TSA workforce shortage due to vaccination requirement
U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) and U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) asked David Pekoske, administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), for an update on the agency’s contingency plan for a potential workforce reduction due to President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement for... Read More »
UK authorizes Merck, Ridgeback’s oral COVID-19 medicine Molnupiravir for use on adults
The antiviral Molnupiravir became the first oral treatment for COVID-19 to receive authorization this week, winning approval from the U.K.’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency for treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 cases in adults. Specifically, users must have had at... Read More »
WHO grants emergency use listing to COVID-19 vaccine COVAXIN, the eighth to win authorization
The World Health Organization (WHO) made its eighth emergency use listing (EUL) for a COVID-19 vaccine this week, granting that honor to Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN. COVAXIN is formulated from an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus that causes COVID-19 -- antigen. Use of the vaccine by adults was... Read More »
GOP senators score Biden’s COVID-19 response at Senate hearing
Republican U.S. senators took aim at the Biden administration’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 epidemic during a Thursday hearing, criticizing the new mandate on vaccinations and blaming federal policies for shortages of therapeutics, testing and other critical materials. “Cases and... Read More »
Global Partnership to focus on climate change fueled terrorism
As world leaders gather in Glasgow for the UN Climate Change Conference, COP26, a new global partnership has formed to focus on the impact of climate change on terrorism, the group said Tuesday. The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), Pool Re... Read More »
CEPI adds Q2 Solutions Beijing lab to centralized COVID-19 vaccine testing network
A Q2 Solutions Co., Ltd. lab facility in Beijing, China, became the first East Asian lab to join the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations’ (CEPI) centralized COVID-19 lab network this week. “I am delighted to today welcome Q2 Solutions’ facility in Beijing to this group of... Read More »
DEA details seizure of over one ton of cocaine
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officials said three men have been indicted for their alleged role in participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy that resulted in the seizure of over one ton of cocaine. Jorge Aponte-Guzman, Nelson Agramonte-Minaya, and Carlos Maisonet-Lopez were... Read More »
Lawmakers levy energy infrastructure security concerns
A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), noting concerns regarding energy infrastructure security. U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, (R-MO), ranking member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and U.S. Sen. Roger... Read More »
Bill addresses wildfire preparedness, response
U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), and Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) recently introduced the National Wildland Fire Risk Reduction Program Act (H.R. 5781), which seeks to enhance wildfire preparedness, resilience, and response. The measure aims to identify and... Read More »
NSA, CISA issue 5G cloud infrastructure guidance
National Security Agency (NSA) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) personnel have issued 5G cloud infrastructure guidance the agencies indicated address building and configuration. “This series provides key cybersecurity guidance to configure 5G cloud... Read More »
DOJ offers $44.5M in funds for state efforts to fight illegal opioids, heroin and meth
In an effort to better crackdown on illegal drugs at the source, the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) announced $44.5 million in funding this week for state-level law enforcement agencies. This money will specifically go toward these agencies’... Read More »
Johns Hopkins, Council on Foreign Relations report urges immediate efforts to strengthen pandemic vaccine planning
The failures, successes, and lessons learned from the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines should be incorporated immediately into future pandemic vaccine planning if the world hopes to avoid the delays and pitfalls of the modern ecosystem, according to a new report from the Johns Hopkins Center for Health... Read More »
Rep. Katko introduces legislation countering anti-police attitudes
U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) announced Monday that he has introduced legislation to strengthen public safety and counter anti-police sentiment. The Stop Enabling Repeat Violence and Endangering (SERVE) Our Communities Act would provide incentives for states to adopt policies that would hold... Read More »
FDA delays assessment of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents until January 2022
Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notified Moderna, Inc. that an assessment of an emergency use authorization request for its COVID-19 vaccine to be used on adolescents may not be completed before January 2022. The delay was due to a stated necessity to evaluate recent... Read More »
DHS inventors earn remote alarm patent
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) said two inventors within the National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL) have received remote alarm patents. Electronics engineer Norman Chiu and physicist Paul Goldhagen were granted U.S. Patent... Read More »
BARDA partners with RIVANNA for portable Accuro XV device to provide radiation-free fracture detection
A new partnership between the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and RIVANNA seeks to develop the company’s Accuro XV device for the release of a portable 3D fracture detection and diagnosis system without radiation. The rapid-working system is based on ultrasound... Read More »
DARPA: WMD threat sensors tested in police vehicles
In collaboration with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) SIGMA+ program announced Friday it had recently concluded a three-month-long pilot study of sensors intended to support early detection of weapons of mass... Read More »
ACT Accelerator calls for $23.4B by September 2022 to close access gaps for COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments
The Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator released a new strategic plan last week that seeks $23.4 billion from international investors by September 2022 to patch inequalities in access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, vaccines, and personal protective equipment. This is particularly... Read More »
Boeing details Florida facility construction plans
Boeing officials announced that the aerospace company has broken ground on a 370,000 square-foot maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility located at Cecil Airport in Jacksonville, Fla. The endeavor would support the company's ability to deliver readiness outcomes for domestic government... Read More »
Rep. Thompson says Build Back Better Act address national security challenges
U.S Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, said the Build Back Better Act addresses pressing national security challenges. Thompson said the legislation would include $1.5 billion in investments to improve the national cybersecurity posture, help... Read More »
BARDA reaches development agreement with BD to create combination COVID-19, flu and coronavirus tests
Reckoning with the threat of diseases present and future, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) announced a new collaboration last week with BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) to develop and win approval for diagnostics capable of identifying COVID-19, influenza, as... Read More »
Global Preparedness Monitoring Board warns world needs ‘coherent and concerted’ reforms to end COVID-19, prevent future pandemics
According to a new report from the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB), the world is broken in its inequality, division, and lack of accountability, making a health emergency ecosystem incapable of ending the COVID-19 pandemic or preventing another. The opportunity for reform is... Read More »
Global access to COVID-19 oral antiviral molnupiravir to be licensed through MPP, Merck agreement
This week, an agreement was reached between the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) and Merck pledges low-cost access to the investigational oral COVID-19 antiviral molnupiravir worldwide, with a particular focus on 105 low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Jointly developed by Merck and Ridgeback... Read More »
Sen. Markey, Rep. Krishnamoorthi advocate for global vaccination goal plan
U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) forwarded correspondence to three agencies seeking an outline regarding administration plans to vaccinate 70 percent of the world population by September 2022. Markey and Krishnamoorthi, co-founders of the COVID-19... Read More »
INOVIO concludes enrollment of 220 participants for Phase 1B Lassa Fever vaccine trial
Biotechnology company INOVIO finished enrollment for a West Africa-based Phase 1B clinical trial of INO-4500, its DNA vaccine candidate for Lassa Fever, this week. A full complement of 220 participants will participate in this first trial for a Lassa fever vaccine in West Africa. The area was... Read More »
IAFC supports FEMA wildfire combating efforts
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) is encouraging Congress to support Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) programs to address efforts to combat nationwide wildfires. IAFC personnel recently testified before the House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and... Read More »
Moderna announces plans to supply COVID-19 vaccines to African Union
Moderna Inc. announced Monday it had a new memorandum of understanding to make up to 110 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine available to the African Union. The company said it is prepared to deliver the first 15 million doses in the fourth quarter of 2021, with 35 million doses... Read More »
CDC pledges $26M for development of advanced infectious disease forecasting, analytics
With the investment of $26 million announced this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hopes to modernize the science of infectious disease prediction and analytics. The first investments from CDC’s Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics (CFA) -- which is expected... Read More »
HAVANA Act funding included in appropriations bill
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) announced the inclusion of HAVANA Act funding in the draft Department of Defense Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2022. The bill authored by Collins authorizes the CIA Director and Secretary of State to provide additional financial support for American public... Read More »
Trahan, McKinley BIO Act to be featured in House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing
Legislation from U.S. Reps. Lori Trahan (D-MA) and David B. McKinley (R-WV) will be considered in an upcoming hearing hosted by the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, the legislators said Monday. The Bolstering Infectious Outbreaks (BIO) Preparedness Workforce Act... Read More »
HHS to invest $70M to accelerate COVID-19 test developers regulatory progress, revise regulatory path overall
As part of ongoing efforts to increase COVID-19 test access, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced this week that it would trigger major investments into accelerating the regulatory pathway for at-home COVID-19 tests and hopes to revise the regulatory pathway... Read More »
Bill seeks to limit domestic terrorists from holding security clearances
U.S. Reps. Liz Cheney (R-WY) and Jason Crow (D-CO) introduced legislation this week limiting domestic terrorists from holding security clearances in the wake of the FBI announcing it has nearly tripled its domestic terrorism caseload. The No Clearance For Domestic Terrorists Act (H.R. 5513)... Read More »