Threats
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 »
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 »
States urge congressional funding for COVID-19 vaccine education
Top executives of FedEx and UPS assured Congress Thursday their firms have been preparing for months and are ready to transport hundreds of millions of doses of the fledgling COVID-19 vaccines, the first of which is expected to be approved by federal regulators as soon as Thursday. “We’ve... Read More »
USDA awards funding to bolster livestock biosecurity
The Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has awarded $14.4 million to states, universities, and other partners with projects addressing livestock biosecurity. The funding allotment would aid 76 projects seeking to strengthen animal health... Read More »
DHS program addresses security challenges
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently launched a new initiative designed to expedite solutions for its most immediate pressing security challenges. Hacking for Homeland Security (H4HS) S&T identifies, develops, and adapts technologies addressing... Read More »
Soligenix vaccine for ricin toxin provides full year of protection in mice testing
In tests conducted on mice, the ricin toxin vaccine RiVax -- developed by Soligenix, Inc. -- provided at least a full year’s worth of protection against the deadly agent. Ricin is a lethal plant-derived toxin feared for its potential use as a bioterrorism and chemical warfare agent. Highly... Read More »
Pennsylvania bill targets Lyme disease insurance coverage
Two Pennsylvania state legislators have introduced a measure necessitating Lyme disease treatment insurance coverage. State Sens. Michele Brooks (R-50th District) and Doug Mastriano (R-33rd District) circulated a co-sponsorship memo on Dec. 1 seeking support for the bill, which would ensure... Read More »
NTI warns of risks associated with digitization, upgrades of U.S. nuclear weapons systems
In a new report, the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) warns of the risks related to the digitization and automation upgrade plans for U.S. nuclear weapons systems. The report, U.S. Nuclear Weapons Modernization: Security and Policy Implications of Integrating Digital Technology, calls on the U.S.... Read More »
CARB-X wins prestigious award for efforts to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria
CARB-X, or Combatting Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, recently won an award from the Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC) for its progress in expanding the pipeline of innovative products to address antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The 2020 Innovating for Impact Partnership Award honors an... Read More »
Successful U.S. mass vaccination campaign requires targeted preparedness, experts say
With Americans on the cusp of receiving the first doses of COVID-19 vaccinations, experts from across the public health system on Wednesday recommended specific preparedness actions be taken to ensure that the vaccines will be distributed with the most equity and effectiveness. “There have... Read More »
AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine found to be safe, effective in Lancet-published study
According to research published this week in The Lancet journal, the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine AZD1222 is safe and effective at preventing the disease, as well as protecting against illness and death. No severe cases and no hospitalizations were required more than 21 days after the... Read More »
Bill that requires security standards for government purchases of IoT devices signed into law
Legislation requiring security standards for any Internet of Things (IoT) device purchased with government money was signed into law this week. The IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act, introduced by Reps. Will Hurd (R-TX) and Robin Kelly (D-IL), requires the National Institute of Standards and... Read More »
Congressional Service Report study looks at challenges with PPE supply, demand
The demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) has continued to increase while supply has been limited by rapid consumption and supply chain disruptions, according to a new study by the Congressional Research Service. The Congressional Research Service report – called COVID-19 and... Read More »
National Security Agency targets virtual workspace vulnerability
A recently released National Security Agency (NSA) Cybersecurity Advisory maintains Russian entities have exploited virtual workspace vulnerability in VMware products to access protected data on affected systems. The advisory details the importance for National Security System (NSS), Department... Read More »
WHO to unveil latest evidence, tech and practices for screening those at risk of tuberculosis
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced plans this week to release guidance on the systematic screening of tuberculosis (TB), including an updated means of addressing the disease through new approaches, new technologies, and the latest evidence. “Systematic screening is critical to... Read More »
NIH launches online calculator to help compute costs of COVID-19 testing strategies
Organizations gained an easy way to assess the costs of COVID-19 testing plans this week, in the form of a free, online calculator funded and launched by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Recognizing that... Read More »
NDAA includes provisions from Artificial Intelligence for the Armed Forces Act
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report includes provisions from the Artificial Intelligence for the Armed Forces Act, which looks to bolster the military’s artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. “The complexity of 21st-century warfare requires that our armed... Read More »
Session targets bolstering nuclear security engagement
Experts from 21 countries, industry, and non-government organizations gathered virtually last month for the 12th meeting of the Global Dialogue on Nuclear Security Priorities - focusing on enhancing nuclear security engagement. The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) indicated the session addressed,... Read More »
DoD announces $74.9M in Defense Production Act Title III actions
The Department of Defense (DoD) has initiated eight Defense Production Act Title III actions as a means of retaining workforce capabilities throughout disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The action would also restore some jobs lost due to the pandemic while sustaining and strengthening... Read More »
Kaneka Eurogentec joins global consortium to manufacture INOVIO COVID-19 vaccine candidate
Under the terms of a new agreement, Kaneka Eurogentec S.A. will help produce INOVIO’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate, INO-4800, joining a global manufacturing consortium that also includes Thermo Fisher Scientific, Richter-Helm BioLogics, and Ology Biosciences. "Our partnership with Kaneka... Read More »
FDA approves use of Quest Diagnostic test as first combo COVID-19, flu test using at-home samples
The latest test to be authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) represents a major milestone amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: the first combination test capable of detecting both COVID-19 and influenza A and B using samples collected at home. “With just one swab or sample,... Read More »
Bill to create National Cyber Director included in NDAA
Legislation that would create a National Cyber Director has been included in the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill to establish the position, the National Cyber Director Act, was introduced by Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI), the commissioner of the Cyberspace... Read More »
Malicious actors targeting COVID-19 vaccine cold chain, new IBM report says
According to a new report by IBM Security X-Force, malicious cyber actors are targeting the COVID-19 cold chain, an integral part of delivering and storing a vaccine at safe temperatures. Cyber attackers, posing as officials from biomedical companies, are sending phishing emails to executives... Read More »
WHO advocates equitable COVID-19 vaccine access
The World Health Organization (WHO) is advocating equitable COVID-19 vaccine global access, noting that placing low and lower-middle-income nations (LLMICs) without access would cause significant economic damage. The WHO-led ACT Accelerator serves a unique global collaboration supporting... Read More »
Bill targets vaccine public advocacy campaign funding
Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH), Ben Cardin (D-MD), John Thune (R-SD), and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) introduced last week a measure they said is designed to address funding for a COVID-19 vaccine public advocacy campaign. The bill would fund a science-driven public advocacy campaign, ensuring when an... Read More »
BARDA to collaborate with Chembio Diagnostics on two COVID-19 rapid antigen tests
With flu season looming, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) announced plans this week to work with Chembio Diagnostics, Inc. to develop two rapid point-of-care antigen tests capable of detecting and differentiating between COVID-19 and influenza. Both tests -- the... Read More »
INTERPOL warns of global threat to COVID-19 vaccines from organized crime networks
As the world deals with the ongoing chaos and death inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic, INTERPOL is warning of a new threat to global hopes: organized crime networks are targeting COVID-19 vaccines, both physically and online. In a global Orange Notice alert to the organization’s 194 member... Read More »
GAO reports cites DoD progress on addressing readiness challenges
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that the Department of Defense has made progress on efforts to improve the readiness and lethality of the U.S. Navy and Marines. The significant readiness challenges have developed over more than a decade of conflict, budget uncertainty,... Read More »
Textron secures Army aircraft contract
The U.S. Army has awarded a $66 million contract to Textron Systems Corporation for 36 Shadow aircraft in the latest Block III configuration. “We are proud to maintain our strong partnership of more than 20 years with the U.S. Army on the Shadow program,” Textron Systems Senior Vice... Read More »