Threats
Senate advances cyberattack response legislation
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) recently applauded Senate action advancing legislation designed to expedite the government’s ability to respond to cyberattacks. The measure was advanced with a larger legislative package enhancing domestic competitiveness on the global... Read More »
TSA reopens Innovation Checkpoint initiative
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently announced a partnership with Las Vegas McCarran International Airport to reopen the Innovation Checkpoint initiative, using security technologies to bolster passenger screening. The effort follows the return of the convention... Read More »
WHO call for antimicrobial resistance surveillance reports met record number of confirmed infection reports in 2020
The World Health Organization (WHO) gained more than 3 million lab-confirmed infection case reports in response -- a record figure -- in response to a call issued last year for input into the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS). These country-by-country reports... Read More »
U.S. federal government to acquire 1.7 million doses of Merck’s molnupiravir COVID-19 antiviral following FDA authorization
A new agreement struck between the Biden administration and Merck & Co. will provide the U.S. government with 1.7 million courses of the company’s investigational COVID-19 antiviral treatment, molnupiravir. This agreement is contingent upon either emergency use authorization (EUA) or approval... Read More »
Biden administration recommends changes to ensure security of pharmaceutical supply chain
The White House, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released policy recommendations Tuesday to ensure the security of the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chains.... Read More »
Senate unanimously advances legislation to support “Havana Syndrome” victims
The Senate unanimously advanced Monday legislation designed to support American public servants who have incurred brain injuries from likely directed energy attacks. Intelligence Committee Chairman Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Intelligence Committee Vice... Read More »
Senate advances innovation investment protection bill
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) applauded recent Senate action advancing a measure designed to protect the more than $100 billion investment in research from global competitors. The Safeguarding American Innovation Act was advanced as a part of the U.S.... Read More »
Henry Schein earns $53.4M contract from HHS to support Strategic National Stockpile’s PPE storage, distribution
In efforts to improve the Strategic National Stockpile, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded a $53.4 million contract to Henry Schein, Inc. this week for the storage and distribution of 80,000 pallets of personal protective equipment and COVID-19 related products. This... Read More »
DiaSorin awarded $4.6M federal contract to increase COVID-19 test capacity
The U.S. Departments of Defense (DoD) and Health and Human Services (HHS) have awarded a $4.6 million contract to DiaSorin Inc. to boost production capacity of SARS-CoV-2 serology tests by nearly eightfold, to 10 million per month by May 2022. Currently, the lab diagnostics company DiaSorin... Read More »
Reps. Pascrell, Fitzpatrick, Bost introduce fire station construction legislation
On Monday, U.S. Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Michael Bost (R-IL), co-chairs of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, introduced legislation that would help fire departments build and upgrade their facilities. The Fire Station Construction Grants Act would... Read More »
Justice Department seizes $2.3M in cryptocurrency payed to ransomware extortionists
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently seized 63.7 bitcoins valued at approximately $2.3 million, alleging the funds represented proceeds paid after a ransomware attack. The DOJ said a group known as DarkSide initiated a ransomware attack against Colonial Pipeline, resulting in critical... Read More »
Sen. Tester urges investigation attack on meat processing industry, increased security
Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) has forwarded correspondence to Biden administration leaders requesting an investigation into a beef processing industry ransomware attack and means of bolstering cybersecurity. Tester's recent letter to Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Department of... Read More »
New CDC study shows mRNA COVID-19 vaccines reduce risk of infection by 91 percent among fully vaccinated
A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) demonstrated continuing good news for mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, crediting them with reducing the risk of infection by 91 percent for those fully vaccinated by either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines. While previous... Read More »
Smallpox therapeutic marks BARDA’s 60th FDA approval/licensure/clearance through public-private partnerships
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Chimerix, Inc.’s smallpox therapeutic TEMBEXA last week marked a medical achievement and a milestone for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). BARDA itself was created in 2006. It began collaborating with... Read More »
Hagerty introduces IRON DOME legislation
U.S. Rep. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) introduced legislation on Friday to redirect funds appropriated for Gaza and other Hamas-dominated areas to replenish Israel’s defense missile systems. The legislation, the Emergency Resupply for IRON DOME Act of 2021, was co-sponsored by 21 other Congressmen and... Read More »
CBP, LAWA issue proactive international travel guidance
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) personnel said the entities are implementing proactive measures to address anticipated 2021 summer season passenger demand. “CBP is proactively mitigating any potential impact in wait times by maximizing our... Read More »
GSU researcher receives $2.7M NIAID grant for study of seasonal, universal vaccination in elderly populations
A professor at Georgia State University’s Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Dr. Sang-Moo Kang, received a five-year, $2.7 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) last week for a study of seasonal and universal vaccination in elderly... Read More »
More than 40 U.S. representatives call for federal action to guarantee equitable vaccine distribution worldwide
In a letter to President Joe Biden last week, more than 40 U.S. representatives sought to use the impending G7 Summit as an opportunity to call for five quick, immediate actions to guarantee COVID-19 vaccines were administered worldwide. The group, led by U.S. Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Tom... Read More »
Congress members release GAO report on DHS Inspector General
U.S. Reps. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Homeland Security Committee Chairman; Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman; John Katko (R-NY), Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member, and James Comer (R-KY), Oversight and Reform Committee Ranking Member, announced the... Read More »
Center for American Progress applauds Biden administration focus on global anti-corruption
Center for American Progress (CAP) officials are espousing the benefits of the Biden administration's decision to make global anti-corruption a prime focus of national security initiatives. The Biden administration recently released its initial National Security Study Memorandum targeting a... Read More »
Rep. Stefanik urges reopening of northern border
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) has forwarded correspondence to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to encourage efforts to reopen the U.S. northern border. Stefanik seeks the unilateral easing of non-essential travel restrictions across the northern border if a... Read More »
IDSA calls out gaps in latest White House budget, praises commitment to halting HIV, emerging public health threats
The newest White House budget proposal would put billions of dollars in funding toward public health, drug, and research initiatives, offering what the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) called the potential to return the United States to leadership in infectious disease responses. At... Read More »
Experimental oral antiviral shows potential against COVID-19 in cell culture study
According to new research from National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists at the Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the oral antiviral drug TEMPOL could limit SARS-CoV-2 infection capabilities. Though still considered experimental, the drug’s... Read More »
Moderna enters agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific to manufacture COVID-19 vaccine
Biotech company Moderna announced Tuesday that they had entered into an agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific to fill/finish the sterile manufacturing and packaging of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. Under the agreement, Thermo Fishers’ facility in Greenville, N.C., will be used for aseptic... Read More »
Bechtel completes destruction of 60 tons of VX nerve agent projectiles
In four months, a Bechtel-led team has managed to destroy approximately 60 tons of VX nerve agent contained in 155-millimeter artillery projectiles, pulling the United States closer to an international chemical weapons reduction goal. “This is an important milestone for the team,” Ron Hink,... Read More »
Centivax partners with U.S. Naval Medical Research Center to develop broad-spectrum COVID-19 therapeutic
With $4.2 million in funding from the Henry Jackson Foundation and a new partnership with the U.S. Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Centivax Inc. intends to pursue phase one clinical development of Centi-B9, a broad-spectrum injectable for treating SARS-CoV-2. Unlike other vaccines and... Read More »
Organizations call for $50B roadmap to end, recover from pandemic
The leaders of the international organizations for financing, health, and trade are urging government leaders to finance a new $50 billion roadmap to help end the pandemic and spur global economic recovery. Leaders of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, World Health Organization,... Read More »
CARB-X funds earmarked for antibiotics research
Basel, Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company BioVersys has secured a $4.35 million funding allotment from CARB-X to develop new antibiotics to treat life-threatening infections caused by ESKAPE pathogens. The pathogens are identified as bacteria that have developed resistance to most current,... Read More »
Rep. Lieu introduces legislation seeking to bolster government vendor cybersecurity
Rep. Ted W. Lieu (D-CA) has introduced a measure designed to bolster government vendor cybersecurity. The Improving Contractor Cybersecurity Act would amend the federal contracts title to require vendors seeking to conduct business with the government to maintain vulnerability disclosure... Read More »
HHS unveils public-private partnership with Global Health Investment Corporation, its first venture capital partnership
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched its first venture capital public-private partnership dedicated to developing technologies and medical products for public health emergencies with the nonprofit Global Health Investment Corporation (GHIC). “While we tackle the... Read More »
NIH begins Phase 1 clinical trial of NIAID’s universal flu vaccine
Following its development by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) began a human, phase one clinical trial to determine the safety and immunogenicity of a nanoparticle-based, universal influenza... Read More »
Reps. Khanna, Mace introduce legislation to strengthen government cybersecurity workforce
U.S Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Nancy Mace (R-SC) introduced legislation to boost America’s cybersecurity capabilities Friday. The Federal Rotational Cyber Workforce Program Act would invest in the cyber workforce and allow cyber professionals to broaden their experience and knowledge base... Read More »
Legislation introduced to develop southern border plan, contingency fund
U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced last week a bill designed to devise a southern border strategic plan and establish a contingency fund to address plan activation. The Border Response Resilience Act would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and federal... Read More »
House legislation seeks to mandate accountability for foreign nations and review WHO’s pandemic actions
U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Conor Lamb (D-PA) sought legislative action on foreign nations’ health efforts last week, introducing the Never Again International Outbreak Prevention Act to establish new monitoring and reporting mandates, sanctions, and an investigation of the World... Read More »