Recent News

By Category: Policy & Initiatives

NSABB: Studies show how H5N1 can jump natural barrier

(CIDRAP News) The core of a US biosecurity advisory board’s concern about two controversial, as-yet-unpublished studies on H5N1 viruses is that the studies have shown how to remove the apparent natural barrier that keeps the viruses from …<

February 1, 2012
| Filed under Europe, North America, Policy & Initiatives, Public Health, and Research
Share

Flu Work Akin to Nuclear-Bomb Experiments, Board Says

(Global Security Newswire) Experts who made an unprecedented recommendation that bird-flu researchers hold back some details of their work justified the controversial decision on Tuesday, saying that the experiments were akin to the 1940s work on nuclear weapons or the first attempts at genetic engineering in the 1970s.

February 1, 2012
| Filed under Europe, North America, International, Policy & Initiatives, Public Health, and Research
Share

Biological Attack Threat Cited as Pentagon Bolsters Defenses

(Bloomberg) The Pentagon is increasing spending to combat biological threats, such as highly toxic ricin, as U.S. spy agencies warn that a terrorist group might conduct a “limited” attack “in the next year.” While a mass attack by foreign terrorist groups using a chemical, biological or radiological weapon in the U.S. is “unlikely” in the Read More »

February 1, 2012
| Filed under North America, Biological Weapons, and Policy & Initiatives
Share

Battle over H5N1 research continues in media, journals

(CIDRAP) In another Times letter, Dr. Richard Ebright, a professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Princeton University, said the research on lab-generated transmissible H5N1 viruses should be regulated the same way smallpox virus research is regulated.

February 1, 2012
| Filed under Europe, North America, Biosafety, Policy & Initiatives, Public Health, and Research
Share

Botswana hamstrung with Mmamabaka Border Post

(Mmegi Online) MOLALATAU: Residents of Molalatau village in Bobirwa have pleaded with the Botswana government to consider lending the Zimbabwean government money to construct Mmamabaka border post on the Zimbabwe side for effective control of Foot and Mouth Disease.