The Burrill Report (September 25, 2009): Getting Extra Mileage Out of the Biodefense Budget Through Programs Aimed at Multiple Goals (.MP3,6.48 Mb)


Since 2001, the United States government has spent substantial resources on preparing the nation against a bioterrorist attack. The Obama administration’s proposed biodefense budget for fiscal 2010, the first since the attacks of Septmeber 11, 2001 from an administration other than the Bush administration, continues to grow the budget after a period of flattening. The bulk of the funding, though, is directed into areas that have multiple goals that extend beyond biodefense to include such things as vaccine development and public health planning. Crystal Franco, senior analyst at the Center for Biosecurity at the Univeristy of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Baltimore analyzes the budget in an article “Billions for Biodefense,” which appears in the latest issue of Biosecurity and Bioterrorism. We spoke to Franco about the allocation of the funding, the focus on multiple goals, and whether or not we’re getting any bang for our buck.