Threats
Reps. Stefanik, Crow introduce bill to clarify biodefense strategy
U.S. Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Jason Crow (D-CO) introduced a bill on May 22 that would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to clarify the national biodefense strategy and implementation plan. The bill, called the RASPP Act (H.B. 6966), follows a Government Accountability... Read More »
Merck announces acquisition, collaboration and vaccine agreements to continue COVID-19 fight
Merck announced a series of actions against COVID-19 this week, joining the fight against the global pandemic through two agreements that further potential vaccines against its viral source, SARS-CoV-2, and a research collaboration intended to create a novel antiviral candidate. “With our... Read More »
Novavax begins clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine candidate
A COVID-19 vaccine candidate created by Novavax, Inc. and supported by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) began clinical trials this week, with the enrollment of participants in a Phase 1/2 study. The vaccine in question is called NVX-CoV2373, a stable, prefusion protein... Read More »
Social media companies must use AI to thwart extremist content, experts tell congressmen
Social media companies need to step up and use the technology they already have to limit extremist groups from spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories online, experts said Wednesday during a U.S. House Homeland Security Committee virtual forum on extremism during the COVID-19 pandemic.... Read More »
Remdesivir shows improved COVID-19 recovery times in preliminary report
A preliminary report on data from the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine last week, showed positive potential for remdesivir as a treatment for COVID-19. The randomized, controlled trial, sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and... Read More »
House Energy and Commerce Leaders request White House COVID-19 vaccine plan
It is past time for a national COVID-19 vaccine plan from the Trump administration, according to House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders so that the country can plan for development, manufacturing, distribution, training, and education linked to these efforts, along with broad vaccine... Read More »
Lawmakers seek Coast Guard preparedness information
Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) are seeking information regarding the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) preparedness in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislators recently forwarded correspondence to Admiral Karl Schultz, expressing concern the pandemic could threaten... Read More »
GOP senators introduce bill to thwart Chinese COVID-19 research hackers
A group of Republican senators introduced legislation requires national security evaluation and clearance for all Chinese student visa holders taking part in activities related to COVID-19 vaccine research. The COVID-19 Vaccine Protection Act – sponsored by Sens. Martha McSally (R-AZ), Rick... Read More »
Air Force initiative aids supply chain fluidity
Air Force officials have launched a new initiative designed to keep the branch’s supply chain system independent of the civilian medical market amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Air Force Rapid Agile Manufacturing Platform (AFRAMP) seeks to leverage the full capacity of the nation's... Read More »
Nuclear Threat Initiative provides new metrics on safely reopening the US amidst COVID-19 pandemic
Through its COVID-Local site, the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) has released a guide of new metrics meant to guide local leaders and state officials in safely reopening the United States. The site now includes interactive graphics and downloadable PDFs, meant to aid assessment of existing... Read More »
FDA cracks down on unvetted COVID-19 antibody tests with new list
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulators have moved against dozens of supposed COVID-19 antibody tests that have never been shown to work, publishing a list of those that failed to file applications or have already pulled their products voluntarily. There are 28 on that list so far,... Read More »
Acting DNI director initiates reforms in National Counterterrorism Center
Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell announced several reforms to increase efficiency within the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), which is part of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). The changes, based on the recommendations of career... Read More »
HHS begins distributing billions in relief funds to skilled nursing facilities
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has begun distributing billions in additional relief funds to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Nursing homes have faced unique challenges as their population of high-risk seniors are more vulnerable to... Read More »
InSPIRE event bolsters disaster preparedness, resilience innovations
Two agencies are espousing the benefits of the Innovation Summit for Preparedness and Resilience (InSPIRE), which is dedicated to fostering policy and technology innovation for preparedness and resilience. The summit was hosted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology... Read More »
BARDA partners with VitalConnect on wearable monitor for COVID-19 patients, nursing homes
Recognizing the dangers presented by COVID-19 to the elderly and immunocompromised in particular, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has partnered with VitalConnect to create a wearable monitor that could provide early warning signs and improve patient... Read More »
House committee discusses SNS preparedness with former director
Members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a teleconference forum former director of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) to improve its readiness for events like COVID-19 pandemic. The Strategic National Stockpile is a federal resource designed to supplement state and local... Read More »
Senators seek info from FBI, CISA on Chinese hackers of COVID-19 data
Several U.S. Senators have reached out to the leadership at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) about attempts by the Chinese to steal intellectual property related to COVID-19. The FBI and CISA had sent out a joint notice,... Read More »
AstraZeneca commits to at least 400 million doses of Oxford’s potential COVID-19 vaccine
AstraZeneca has reached first agreements for at least 400 million doses of a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford, including 300 million for the United States. First shipments will begin rolling out to the U.K. in September, then the United States in October. The... Read More »
Kantaro Biosciences created as joint COVID-19 test effort between Mount Sinai Health System, Renalytix
Mount Sinai Health System and Renalytix AI have formed Kantaro Biosciences, LLC, as a means of developing, producing, and distributing a COVID-19 testing kit based on Mount Sinai’s high-performance serologic assay for antibodies. The test kits hunt for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and are usable in... Read More »
Sens. Coons, Graham introduced legislation targeting live animal markets
U.S. Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced new legislation this week that would end the sale of wildlife species within live animal markets deemed high-risk for human consumption. Tied to previous outbreaks of human diseases, such markets have gained increasing scrutiny... Read More »
Senators urge Trump to ramp up COVID-19 testing, tracing
A group of U.S. Senators, including Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), sent a letter to President Donald Trump regarding the COVID-19 Testing Blueprint that the Administration recently released. The blueprint includes plans to expand state testing capacity and establish... Read More »
Senators urge COVID-19 task force to provide PPE, testing for firefighters battling wildfires
A group of U.S. Senators recently called on the Trump administration officials to help secure personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing kits for firefighters and federal law enforcement personnel charged with fighting wildfires. “Peak fire season comes closer every day. However, it is... Read More »
LLNL researchers aid development of tularemia vaccine
A pair of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers are part of a three-institution team funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) to further develop a tularemia vaccine. Nick Fischer and Amy Rasley will collaborate with University of New Mexico and Tulane National... Read More »
NIH Director Collins highlights public-private efforts to respond to COVID-19 in JAMA article
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis Collins co-wrote an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that a swift, coordinated effort across many sectors of society is necessary to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The article – co-written by Collins and... Read More »
HHS, CDC to award $11B for COVID-19 testing
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is awarding $11 billion in funding to support COVID-19 testing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will provide $10.25 billion to states, territories, and local jurisdictions through its Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for... Read More »
Moderna proposes public offering of common stock shares to raise funds for COVID-19 vaccine candidate
With an underwritten public offering of $1.25 billion in shares of common stock, Moderna, Inc. hopes to entice buyers to raise funds for the manufacturing of mRNA-1273, the company’s vaccine candidate for use on SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus responsible for COVID-19. Additionally, underwriters will... Read More »
Phlow Corporation to manufacture essential medicines under $354M federal contract
In an effort to counter potential medical shortages, the United States federal government has awarded $354 million to the Phlow Corporation, with an eye on advanced manufacturing of essential medicines. In all, that contract could stretch up to $812 million, thanks to a four-year base award of... Read More »
New online course trains thousands of COVID-19 contact tracers
The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD) said the agencies have trained over 10,000 individuals nationwide in COVID-19 contact tracing. The effort seeks to support ongoing state and local public health agencies in preparing... Read More »
Trump administration announces structure, leadership for ‘Operation Warp Speed’
The Trump administration appointed last week Dr. Moncef Slaoui and U.S. Army General Gustave F. Perna to lead the advancement of Operation Warp Speed, a program to accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 medical countermeasures. Slaoui, a former Chairman of both... Read More »
Oxford-developed COVID-19 vaccine protected monkeys from virus-caused pneumonia in study
Research conducted last month by scientists from the National Institutes of Health and the University of Oxford showed promise for the investigational SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, at least when used on rhesus macaques. The vaccine, which was created by the University of Oxford Jenner... Read More »
Leaders of Costa Rica, Chile launch effort with WHO to create COVID-19 platform
The leaders of Costa Rica and Chile, working with the World Health Organization (WHO), are spearheading an effort to create a technology platform that aims to lift access barriers to effective vaccines, medicines, and other health products against COVID-19. “Our proposal relies on... Read More »
Senate bill seeks to strengthen the nation’s bioeconomy
A bipartisan group of Senators introduced May 15 legislation designed to strengthen the nation’s bioeconomy. The Bioeconomy Research and Development Act of 2020 seeks to advance research and development, advance biomanufacturing, develop the future bioeconomy workforce, and support various... Read More »
TSA addresses transportation insider threats
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has crafted a structure the agency said is designed to combat potential transportation sector insider threats. The TSA Insider Threat Roadmap streamlines processes, identifies requirements and capabilities, and leverages partnerships to... Read More »
GAO issues chemical facility protection recommendations
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) a series of recommendations regarding chemical facility cybersecurity oversight. Officials said DHS’s Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program evaluates high-risk chemical... Read More »