A new report from a government commission on terrorism warns that while the United States has made progress in preventing attacks with weapons of mass destruction the danger of biological threats continues to grow and the nation is “woefully behind in its capability to rapidly produce vaccines and therapeutics” needed to respond to such attacks. It also says there is a “failure of the U.S. government to grasp the threat of biological weapons.”

 

The report, authored by the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, points to delays in responding to the H1N1 flu outbreak and notes the epidemic peaked before most Americans had access to vaccine. The report said that rapid detection and diagnosis capabilities, followed by actionable information to federal, state and local leaders as well as the public, adequate supplies of medical countermeasures, and the ability to distribute them will be needed to counteract a bioattack. Sick people will need to be isolated in a medical facility and those that are well will need to be protected with vaccines and prophylactic medications. 

 

The report, which gave the government a grade of “F” for its ability to respond to and prevent biological attacks capable of inflicting mass casualties called this area “the most significant failure identified” in its report card. It said there is no national plan to coordinate federal, state and local efforts in response to such an attack.

 

Even though Congress created the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority Advanced Development Fund to promote the development of new vaccines, drugs and production processes to meet modern threats, the investment in this area is less than one tenth the estimated $3.4 billion a year that the Department of Homeland Security says is needed for the next five years. 

 

A previous report from the commission concluded that bioterrorism is the most likely weapon of mass destruction threat to the world. “The capability to deter and respond to bioterrorism depends upon the strength of all links in the biodefense chain,” the report said. “Virtually all links are weak and require the highest priority of attention from the Administration and Congress.”

 

Among the recommendations from the commission are a call for a review of efforts to secure dangerous pathogens, the development of a national strategy for advancing bioforensic capabilities, and a tightening of government oversight of high-containment laboratories. The commission also recommends the fostering of a culture of security awareness in the life sciences community and enhancement of the nation’s capabilities for rapid response to prevent biological attacks from inflicting mass casualties.