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By Category: Policy & Initiatives

Study simulates effects of foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Mexico

(University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences) In a worst-case scenario simulation of a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Mexico, researchers found that establishing a good surveillance system and raising a more resilient breed of cattle could lessen the blow to the Mexican cattle industry should an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease or other Read More »

February 17, 2012
| Filed under North America, Agriculture, Countermeasures, and Policy & Initiatives
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US ‘very closely’ watching Syrian chemical weapons

(The Associated Press) US intelligence officials in the past have said Syria has conducted biological weapons-related research but have stopped short of saying the country had taken the next step and built bioweapons. The task of securing Syrian President Bashar Assad’s …

February 16, 2012
| Filed under Middle East, North America, Biological Weapons, International, and Policy & Initiatives
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Mixed news for biodefence in President’s budget request

(Nature.com) President Barack Obama’s budget request for 2013 contains mixed news for the US biodefence effort, which came under heavy criticism last year for failing to deliver treatments against biodefence threats despite spending some US$60 billion over the previous decade. According to figures compiled by Crystal Franco of the Center for Biosecurity of UPMC in Read More »

February 16, 2012
| Filed under North America and Policy & Initiatives
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Major Hurdles Remain for Biothreat Detection Project, Experts Say

(Global Security Newswire) The U.S. Homeland Security Department still must contend with significant hurdles in establishing a federal system for tracking potential biological health dangers to people and animals, a working group of experts concluded in assertions reported on Tuesday by the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. The National Biosurveillance Integration System still Read More »

February 16, 2012
| Filed under North America, Countermeasures, Policy & Initiatives, and Public Health
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Bill Would Extend State Oversight to Maryland Disease Laboratories

(Global Security Newswire) A bill submitted by a Maryland lawmaker this month would require official state certification and oversight of nongovernmental disease research facilities, the Fredrick News-Post reported on Wednesday. The proposal, put forward by state Senator Ron Young, would charge the Maryland Health and Mental Hygiene Department with certifying and watching over any new Read More »