Recent News

By Category: Countermeasures

Twofer for the Biggest Bioterror Threats?

If you ask biodefense experts to name two diseases that keep them awake at night, there’s a good chance they’ll mention smallpox and anthrax. Both are highly lethal, and current vaccines have major problems. Now, researchers have found a way to target both threats at the same time: a candidate vaccine that protects against the Read More »

October 4, 2010
| Filed under North America, Biotechnology, Countermeasures, and Research
Share

BARDA funds development of next-generation portable ventilators

September 29, 2010
| Filed under North America and Countermeasures
Share

BARDA funds development of next-generation portable ventilators

A $6.7 million contract announced today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) will help fill the need for domestically manufactured, low-cost, user-friendly and flexible next-generation ventilators. This contract to Newport Medical Instruments of Costa Mesa, Calif., is for three years.

September 29, 2010
| Filed under North America and Countermeasures
Share

New bra doubles as gas mask

Inspired by the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, a new bra designed by Dr. Elena Bodnar of the Ukraine doubles as a gas mask that is capable of protecting wearers from toxic agents. The $30 bra, TakePart.com reports, is meant to lower the potential health risks of accidents that release harmful airborne particles, including fires, explosions, terrorist Read More »

September 28, 2010
| Filed under Countermeasures
Share

Biodefense System Overhaul Was Necessary, HHS Secretary Says

WASHINGTON — A planned $1.9 billion revamp of the nation’s medical countermeasure enterprise was overdue as government scientists were using decades old technology to confront new and emerging biological threats, a senior Obama administration official said here last week (see GSN, Sept. 24). (Sep. 27) – Workers on a vaccine production line in 2009. U.S. Read More »