Threats
Bicameral bill proposes cybersecurity assistance and improvements for small organizations
With the introduction of the Improving Cybersecurity of Small Organizations Act of 2020 (S. 4731) last week, a bipartisan mix of senators and representatives seek to promote guidance on cybersecurity for small organizations such as businesses, nonprofits and local government agencies. Among... Read More »
Senate Republicans introduce bill to modify or repeal regulations that impede pandemic response
A bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate that seeks to repeal or modify regulations that have impeded the ability of the government to rapidly respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pandemic Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Act establishes a commission charged with prioritizing regulation... Read More »
FDA issues first emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 antibody point-of-care test
The Assure COVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid Test Device this week became the first antibody point-of-care test for COVID-19 to receive emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Originally granted authorization for use by certain labs in July, the new EUA allows the test... Read More »
CDC to provide $200M for critical infrastructure support of COVID-19 vaccine preparations
All 64 jurisdictions under the Immunizations and Vaccines for Children cooperative agreement will receive $200 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the coming days, as a means of supporting COVID-19 vaccination services. The money will aid both planning and... Read More »
Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense prepares for next pandemic
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is revealing major gaps in national readiness to prepare for, respond to, and recover from biological threats, requiring that decision makers consider improved policies, programs, and technologies to ramp up the federal defense, experts said during the Sept. 24 virtual... Read More »
DHS awards $1M for cybersecurity information sharing tool
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program awarded $1 million to InferLink Corp. to develop a tool for sharing cybersecurity information. Inferlink, based in El Segundo, Calif., awarded the Phase II contract to InferLink based on the successful... Read More »
Lawmakers inquire about biomedical research foreign influence
Three lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) requesting insight regarding efforts to address foreign biomedical research influence. Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Rep. Greg Walden... Read More »
Sens. Menendez, Collins seek to create COVID-19 Commission
Sens. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced Wednesday legislation designed to create a COVID-19 Commission to assess the nation’s preparedness and response to the pandemic while providing guidance regarding future occurrences. The measure would establish an independent,... Read More »
BARDA, Luminex form public-private partnership dedicated to new COVID-19 serology test
In an effort to better track COVID-19 infections, the Luminex Corporation and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) have partnered on the creation of a more advanced serology test. This latest effort is based on the xMAP SARS-CoV-2 Multi-Antigen IgG assay, a... Read More »
Janssen seeks up to 60,000 adult volunteers for phase three COVID-19 vaccine trial
A new, phase three clinical trial for Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies’ investigational COVID-19 vaccine began recruiting adult volunteers this week to see if a single dose could prevent symptomatic cases. The trial will enroll up to 60,000 volunteers at nearly 215 clinical research sites in... Read More »
Top public health officials dismiss doubts on political interference in vaccine trials
Top Trump Administration officials dismissed concerns that approval of a COVID-19 vaccine is being rushed to satisfy the President’s reelection efforts and assured the public they would volunteer to take any vaccine themselves that is ultimately approved by the government. “We do feel the... Read More »
Boston CBP personnel seize synthetic opioid shipment
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel in Boston, Mass., recently seized a Thailand shipment containing 196 grams of the opioid drug Tramadol. “Illegal trading of opioids poses a significant health threat,” Michael Denning, director of Field Operations for the Boston Field Office,... Read More »
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles participates in $7.1M study of COVID-19, flu transmission
As part of a 250-325 household study spanning three countries, The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles will participate in a $7.1 million effort to investigate some of the unanswered questions surrounding COVID-19 and influenza transmission. Among those questions being... Read More »
New House legislation would put nuclear testing decisions in congressional hands
Democratic representatives and senators have introduced the No Nuclear Testing Without Approval Act to make nuclear testing dependent on Congressional authorization. The effort comes from U.S. Reps. Steven Horsford (D-NV), Reps. Susie Lee (D-NV), Ben McAdams (D-UT), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), and TJ... Read More »
GAO makes recommendations to Treasury Dept on cybersecurity for financial sector
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is recommending that the Treasury Department work with other federal agencies and sector partners to enhance cybersecurity within the financial sector. The financial services sector's reliance on information technology makes it a leading target for... Read More »
BARDA expands relationship with Ortho on COVID-19 test
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) expanded its partnership with Ortho Clinical Diagnostics to accelerate the development of a COVID-19 antigen test. The Vitros antigen test is designed for the rapid detection of the virus that causes COVID-19. It is intended for... Read More »
DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Lab leads research on COVID-19 test kits
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, in collaboration with the University of Washington, analyzed kits that could be used as a critical part of a laboratory test used to detect the COVID-19 virus in a sample from an infected person. “We are pleased the DOE... Read More »
University of Pennsylvania’s lung-on-a-chip technology could provide treatment insights for chlorine exposure
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has joined University of Pennsylvania researchers from two labs to build lung-on-a-chip technology, which promises a safe means of studying chlorine gas effects and the discovery of treatments. Chlorine gas was used as a weapon... Read More »
Nearly two-thirds of world’s population stand to benefit from COVAX facility commitments
The global initiative known as the COVAX facility announced major news for all seeking relief from the COVID-19 pandemic: a total of 156 economies have banded together under the program, guaranteeing both robust and lower income economies will get vaccines. This week marked the formal commitment... Read More »
Lawmakers urge wastewater-based epidemiology COVID-19 testing
A group of legislators recently encouraged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to invest federal funding in wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) with an eye toward low-cost, effective COVID-19 testing. Rep. TJ Cox (D-CA) recently joined 11 colleagues in forwarding correspondence... Read More »
NTI convenes global experts on need for government oversight of biotechnology research
The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) convened a meeting of more than 40 experts worldwide to address the need for better oversight of biotechnology research. Biotechnology research is essential for reducing pandemic threats and supporting global health. However, scientific advances in the life... Read More »
Bill addresses COVID-19 spread prevention
Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) have introduced a measure they said is designed to help prevent COVID-19 spread via a pilot program requiring air traveler temperature checks at TSA screenings. The Fly Safe and Healthy Act establishes a 120-day pilot program via the TSA to... Read More »
Senators inquire into Justice Department efforts to fight drug trafficking on the Dark Web
In a letter written to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) this week, U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and John Cornyn (R-TX) pressed for details on drug trafficking crackdown efforts targeting the dark web and its users. Pointing to... Read More »
European Union reaches agreement with Sanofi, GSK for up to 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine
Under a new agreement with the European Commission, Sanofi and GSK will provide up to 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the European Union in exchange for manufacturing scale-up support. The vaccine in question is based on a mix of Sanofi’s recombinant protein-based technology --... Read More »
Various health organizations urge FDA to be thorough in COVID-19 vaccination process
More than 90 organizations representing scientists, physicians, health providers, as well as patients and medical advocates are urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ensure that reviews of COVID-19 vaccine candidates meet all regulatory standards prior to authorization. “While we are... Read More »
Bechtel touts chemical destruction effort
Officials representing the engineering and project management firm Bechtel said its Pueblo Team safely eliminated nearly 300,000 155mm chemical weapons projectiles stored at the Army Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado. The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) team executed the... Read More »
Eli Lilly, Amgen collaborate on production of potential COVID-19 antibody therapies
Eli Lilly and Company announced a new collaboration with Amgen last week that will allow a significant increase in supply capacity and scaling of production of its potential COVID-19 therapies. The news came a mere day after Lilly announced that proof of concept data from its BLAZE-1 clinical... Read More »
BARDA, JPEO-CBRND and Ology Bioservices join forces to expand fill-finish capacity of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics
Federal agencies have partnered with Ology Bioservices to expand the capacity for filling and finishing vials for COVID-19 vaccines and drugs in the United States. The joint effort includes the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and the Department of Defense’s Joint... Read More »
DHS awards $10M for terrorism, targeted violence prevention
The Department of Homeland Security has awarded $10 million for projects that support the development of a nationwide Terrorism and Targeted Violence Prevention (TVTP) Framework. The grants were made through the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Grant Program and went to 29 different... Read More »
FEMA toolkit to help local authorities develop effective alerts, warnings
The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) has released the “Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) Program Planning Toolkit” to help local authorities to develop an effective program for alerts, warnings, and notifications. IPAWS is a national system that provides... Read More »
TSA Systems Integration Facility hosts TSA Administrator Pekoske
The Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) TSA Systems Integration Facility (TSIF) recently hosted TSA Administrator David Pekoske, who met with the local TSA workforce and conducted a virtual town hall meeting. The facility based in Arlington, Va., possesses a 128,000 square-foot... Read More »
Reps. Hurd, Kelly seek national artificial intelligence strategy
Reps. Will Hurd (R-TX) and Robin Kelly (D-IL) recently introduced a concurrent resolution calling for the creation of a national artificial intelligence (AI) strategy. The effort stems from coordinating with stakeholders and the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) - and includes recommendations from... Read More »
More than a dozen senators call on FDA to make COVID-19 vaccine reviews transparent
In a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week, 15 Democratic senators called for the agency to be fully transparent in its COVID-19 vaccine review process, over concerns President Donald Trump is pressuring it to approve a vaccine before Election Day. Public trust must be... Read More »
Bill introduced in the House would ensure use of emerging technologies in border security
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives representing districts along the Northern and Southern U.S. borders introduced a bill that directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to create a strategy to integrate emerging technologies in the nation’s border security strategy. The... Read More »