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By Category: International

Science goes global to combat animal diseases

YORKSHIRE POST — The Government claims that the UK will be better protected against animal diseases like foot-and-mouth, thanks to a global network dedicated to scientific research. The increasingly globalised movement of animals, people and food have greatly raised the risk of animal diseases spreading to the UK – a danger which poses serious economic, Read More »

May 19, 2011
| Filed under Asia/Pacific, Europe, North America, South America, Agriculture, International, and Policy & Initiatives
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Remarks as prepared by HHS Secretary Sebelius, U.S. Delegation Press Briefing, 2011 World Health Assembly

HHS NEWS — Thank you, and thank you all for joining us this morning. I just want to start by introducing a few key members of our delegation. They will be able to join me in answering your questions. Dr. Howard Koh is our Assistant Secretary for Health. Dr. Regina Benjamin is the Surgeon General of Read More »

May 19, 2011
| Filed under Europe, North America, International, Policy & Initiatives, and Public Health
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Smallpox stockpile could be destroyed; a look at what the virus wrought

LOS ANGELES TIMES — International health officials are expected to decide this week whether to hold on to the last remaining stockpiles of smallpox, one of the deadliest diseases in history – or to proceed with their destruction. The U.S. argues that scientists need access to the virus for just a while longer — saying Read More »

May 18, 2011
| Filed under Europe, North America, International, and Policy & Initiatives
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Science, technology, and the bioweapons treaty by Malcolm Dando

BULLETIN OF ATOMIC SCIENTISTS — If one listened closely to the discussions around the recent meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the upcoming review of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), one might have heard a distant rumble of concern. These worries stem from the widespread recognition that advances in the life sciences are progressing at Read More »

May 17, 2011
| Filed under Europe, North America, Biological Weapons, International, and Policy & Initiatives
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US Says Eventual Destruction Of Last Smallpox Viruses At Least 5 Years Away

THE CANADIAN PRESS — (Geneva) – The last known stockpiles of the smallpox virus won’t be destroyed anytime soon, the U.S. health secretary said Tuesday, in part out of fear that one of the world’s deadliest diseases could be used as a bioweapon. U.S. Health Secretary Kathleen Sibelius told reporters that the stockpiles held in Read More »