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Author: Joan R. Callahan
Publisher: Greenwood
Published: 2010
Total Pages: 0
ISBN-13: 0313372098
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →H1N1. Anthrax. Mad Cow disease. HIV. It is easy to understand how biological threats like these can terrify an anxious public. What is not so easy is getting clear, objective assessments of the realities of these threats when outbreaks-and the misinformation they inevitably generate-lead to either too much concern or not enough.
Author: Akbar S. Khan
Publisher: IOS Press
Published: 2005
Total Pages: 192
ISBN-13: 158603555X
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Published: 2002-03-07
Total Pages: 335
ISBN-13: 030916995X
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →In the wake of September 11th and recent anthrax events, our nation's bioterrorism response capability has become an imminent priority for policymakers, researchers, public health officials, academia, and the private sector. In a three-day workshop, convened by the Institute of Medicine's Forum on Emerging Infections, experts from each of these communities came together to identify, clarify, and prioritize the next steps that need to be taken in order to prepare and strengthen bioterrorism response capabilities. From the discussions, it became clear that of utmost urgency is the need to cast the issue of a response in an appropriate framework in order to attract the attention of Congress and the public in order to garner sufficient and sustainable support for such initiatives. No matter how the issue is cast, numerous workshop participants agreed that there are many gaps in the public health infrastructure and countermeasure capabilities that must be prioritized and addressed in order to assure a rapid and effective response to another bioterrorist attack.
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Published: 2019-01-05
Total Pages: 189
ISBN-13: 0309465184
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →Scientific advances over the past several decades have accelerated the ability to engineer existing organisms and to potentially create novel ones not found in nature. Synthetic biology, which collectively refers to concepts, approaches, and tools that enable the modification or creation of biological organisms, is being pursued overwhelmingly for beneficial purposes ranging from reducing the burden of disease to improving agricultural yields to remediating pollution. Although the contributions synthetic biology can make in these and other areas hold great promise, it is also possible to imagine malicious uses that could threaten U.S. citizens and military personnel. Making informed decisions about how to address such concerns requires a realistic assessment of the capabilities that could be misused. Biodefense in the Age of Synthetic Biology explores and envisions potential misuses of synthetic biology. This report develops a framework to guide an assessment of the security concerns related to advances in synthetic biology, assesses the levels of concern warranted for such advances, and identifies options that could help mitigate those concerns.
Author: Erik Frinking
Publisher: The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies
Published: 2017-02-20
Total Pages: 42
ISBN-13: 9492102439
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →With the World Health Organization (WHO), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the U.S. Blue Ribbon panel publishing reports on the emerging risks of biological weaponry in past months, there is a new sense of urgency regarding biological weapons. In August 2016, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon told the Security Council that “non-state actors are actively seeking chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.” This report presents the changing dynamics of the development and use of biological weapons and the preparation against them. The dynamics relate to technological advances in biotechnology and the concomitant attraction to non-state actors to use biological agents as weapons due to their financial appeal and diverse impact. The relative ease with which biological weapons can be produced, and the intent of non-state actors to use biological weapons- based on historical precedent and recent surge in international terrorism- call for a renewed focus on this field and an increased effort to respond to these developments. We provide illustrations of new policy initiatives in a variety of countries and outline the current state of play in the Netherlands, providing a point of departure to discuss whether the current approach is sufficient to tackle the upcoming issues.
Author: Benjamin D. Trump
Publisher: Springer Nature
Published: 2021
Total Pages: 233
ISBN-13: 940242086X
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →Synthetic biology is a field of biotechnology that is rapidly growing in various applications, such as in medicine, environmental sustainability, and energy production. However these technologies also have unforeseen risks and applications to humans and the environment. This open access book presents discussions on risks and mitigation strategies for these technologies including biosecurity, or the potential of synthetic biology technologies and processes to be deliberately misused for nefarious purposes. The book presents strategies to prevent, mitigate, and recover from 'dual-use concern' biosecurity challenges that may be raised by individuals, rogue states, or non-state actors. Several key topics are explored including opportunities to develop more coherent and scalable approaches to govern biosecurity from a laboratory perspective up to the international scale and strategies to prevent potential health and environmental hazards posed by deliberate misuse of synthetic biology without stifling innovation. The book brings together the expertise of top scholars in synthetic biology and biotechnology risk assessment, management, and communication to discuss potential biosecurity governing strategies and offer perspectives for collaboration in oversight and future regulatory guidance.
Author: Jeffrey Ryan
Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann
Published: 2016-02-18
Total Pages: 394
ISBN-13: 0128020571
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →Biosecurity and Bioterrorism, Second Edition, takes a holistic approach to biosecurity, with coverage of pathogens, prevention, and response methodology. It addresses these hazards in the context of vulnerability assessments and the planning strategies government and industry can use to prepare for and respond to such events. The book is organized into four thematic sections: Part I provides a conceptual understanding of biowarfare, bioterrorism and the laws we have to counteract this; Part II investigates known bioagents and the threat from emerging diseases; Part III focuses on agricultural terrorism and food security; and Part IV outlines international, US, and local initiatives for biodefense and biosecurity. Case studies illustrate biodefense against both intentional terrorism and natural outbreaks. Covers emerging threats of pandemic influenza, antibiotic resistant strains of bacterial pathogens, and severe respiratory diseases caused by novel viruses Offers increased international coverage, including initiatives to counter biological weapons and threats, and food security Updated throughout with latest protocols for dealing with biological threats and new case studies Includes online instructor ancillaries - PowerPoint lecture slides, test questions, and an instructor manual, for increased classroom functionality
Author: Joan R. Callahan
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Published: 2009-12-23
Total Pages: 342
ISBN-13: 0313372101
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →An engaging, nontechnical discussion of the infectious diseases and other biological threats that pose the highest risk to humans, presented in the context of relevant environmental and sociological trends. What biological agents should we truly be afraid of? Which have garnered more attention than they warrant? Emerging Biological Threats: A Reference Guide is the antidote for the confusion surrounding the potentially devastating impact of pathogens on the human community. Written by a frontline professional in epidemiology, it is the most authoritative yet engagingly written resource available on the real risks we face, and the countermeasures used to confront them. Emerging Biological Threats provides the information needed to understand significant direct threats to human health, as well as those that impact us indirectly by destroying livestock and crops. Focused primarily on the United States, it offers science-based yet accessible explorations of HIV, influenza, drug-resistant pathogens, tuberculosis, meningitis, and more. In addition, the book assesses current predictions about the future spread of various diseases as a result of climate change and overpopulation. The book concludes with chapters on relevant environmental and sociological trends and a discussion of current public health strategy.
Author: S.J.S. Flora
Publisher: Academic Press
Published: 2019-10-05
Total Pages: 306
ISBN-13: 012812055X
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →Handbook on Biological Warfare Preparedness provides detailed information on biological warfare agents and their mode of transmission and spread. In addition, it explains methods of detection and medical countermeasures, including vaccine and post-exposure therapeutics, with specific sections detailing diseases, their transmission, clinical signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, vaccines, prevention and management. This book is useful reading for researchers and advanced students in toxicology, but it will also prove helpful for medical students, civil administration, medical doctors, first responders and security forces. As the highly unpredictable nature of any event involving biological warfare agents has given rise to the need for the rapid development of accurate detection systems, this book is a timely resource on the topic. Introduces different bacterial and viral agents, including Ebola and other emerging threats and toxins Discusses medical countermeasures, including vaccines and post-exposure therapeutics Includes a comprehensive review of current methods of detection
Author: Luther E. Lindler
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Published: 2007-10-27
Total Pages: 594
ISBN-13: 1592597645
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →In 2003, the President’s budget for bioterrorism defense totalled more than $5 billion. Today, the nation’s top academic scientists are scrambling to begin work to understand Bacillus anthracis and develop new vaccines and drugs. However, just five years ago, only the US Department of Defense (DOD) seemed concerned about these “exotic” agents. In 1997, the DOD spent approximately $137 million on biodefense to protect the deployed force, while academe, industry, local governments, and most of our federal leadership was oblivious to, and in some cases doubtful of, the seriousness of the threat. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) received the largest budget increase in the organization’s history. Fortunately, during this time of national urgency, a sound base exists on which to build our defenses against this new threat. A relatively small cadre of dedicated scientists within the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) laid this foundation over the past 20 years.
