Month: July 2014

Image of the Week: Norovirus

by juliadhomstad, posted in Images

10708_lores

This transmission electron micrograph (TEM) revealed some of the ultrastructural morphology displayed by norovirus virions, or virus particles.

Noroviruses belong to the genus Norovirus, and the family Caliciviridae. They are a group of related, single-stranded RNA, nonenveloped viruses that cause acute gastroenteritis in humans. Norovirus was recently approved as the official genus name for the group of viruses provisionally described as “Norwalk-like viruses” (NLV). See PHIL 10704 for a black and white version of this image.

What are noroviruses?

Noroviruses are a group of viruses that cause the “stomach flu,” or gastroenteritis (GAS-tro-en-ter-I-tis), in people. The term norovirus was recently approved as the official name for this group of viruses. Several other names have been used for noroviruses, including:

– Norwalk-like viruses (NLVs)

– caliciviruses (because they belong to the virus family Caliciviridae

– small round structured viruses.

Viruses are very different from bacteria and parasites, some of which can cause illnesses similar to norovirus infection. Like all viral infections, noroviruses are not affected by treatment with antibiotics, and cannot grow outside of a person’s body.

 

(Image Credit/Caption: CDC)

This Week in DC: Events

by juliadhomstad, posted in Events, Week In DC

July 28, 2014

The Elusive Final Deal with Iran: Developments and Options Going Forward
Date: July 28, 12:00 – 1:30pm
Location: JINSA, Large Conference Hall, 1st Floor, 1307 New York Ave NW, Washington DC 20005

JINSA’s Gemunder Center for Defense and Strategy will hold a lunch panel discussion with its Iran Task Force on the outcome of negotiations for a comprehensive deal on Iran’s nuclear program. The panel will also discuss steps going forward for U.S. policy to prevent a nuclear Iran.

Register here.

Changing Security Environment and Geopolitical Dynamics of East Asia
Date: July 28, 1:15 – 2:45pm
Location: Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Kenney Auditorium, 1717 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC 20036

Jung Hoon Kim, member of the National Assembly for South Korea, will discuss this topic.

RSVP here.

Nuclear Politics on the Korean Peninsula
Date: July 28, 3:00 – 5:15pm
Location: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1779 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC 20036

The evolving security environment around the Korean Peninsula presents new challenges and opportunities for addressing the North Korean nuclear threat. What do South Koreans expect from Beijing after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Seoul? What do South Korean aspirations for full nuclear fuel cycle capabilities mean for dealing with North Korea and for the balance of power in the region? What do these trends mean for the U.S.-ROK alliance?

This event is co-sponsored by the Korea Economic Institute.

Register here.

July 29, 2014

National Security and Climate Change: What Do We Need to Know?
Date: July 29, 2:00 – 4:00pm
Location: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC 20004

What do a White House senior advisor, a member of Congress, scientists, military planners, and business people have in common? At a June 4 symposium in Seattle organized by the Jackson Foundation and PNNL, they all agreed that climate change is having an impact on national security that will only increase with time. Thirty-six leaders from federal agencies, state and local government, research organizations, business, and academia participated in the symposium titled “The Intersection of National Security and Climate Change – What do Decision-makers Need to be Prepared?”

This briefing will focus on the key recommendations and consensus points that emerged from the June discussion and highlight the next steps for action.

RSVP here.

Hearing: Iran Nuclear Negotiations: From Extension to Final Agreement?
Date: July 29, 2:00pm
Location: U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC 20515

House Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce, in response to the four month extension in the nuclear talks, said:  “I don’t see an extension of funding to Iran as progress.  It looks like the Iranians won extra time with a good cop-bad cop routine, backing off the Supreme Leader’s absurd claim for 190,000 centrifuges. This tells me Iran, with centrifuges spinning, thinks time is on its side.  Increased economic pressure would strengthen our hand, but the Administration opposes it.  It should welcome congressional efforts to ratchet up the economic pressure on Iran.  Any deal should be graded on its technical merits, not in the hopes of a partnership with Iran on Iraq and other issues, as some have argued.  Iran’s terrorist-backing activities, including illicitly shipping missiles to Hamas, demands even higher standards of verification for any deal.  Everything about Iran’s nuclear program signals ‘nuclear bomb,’ yesterday, today, and I worry tomorrow.”

The following witnesses are scheduled to testify: The Honorable Wendy R. Sherman, Under Secretary for Political Affairs, U.S. Department of State, and The Honorable David S. Cohen, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, U.S. Department of the Treasury.

The Health Consequences of Aerial Spraying of Illicit Crops: The Case of Columbia
Date: July 29, 3:00pm
Location: Center for Global Development, 2055 L Street NW, Fifth Floor, Washington DC 20036

What are the unintended health consequences of the drug war? Adriana Camacho will present a recent paper exploiting the variation in aerial spraying on illicit crops across time and space in Colombia. The paper employs a panel of individual health records in order to study the causal effects of aerial spraying of herbicides (Glyphosate) on health-related outcomes.

Camacho and coauthor Daniel Mejia Londono find that an increase in the amount of aerial spraying in a municipality increases the number of medical consultations related to the exposure of Glyphosate for the municipality’s inhabitants. Moreover, while there is no evidence of effects on respiratory diseases, the paper finds strong negative effects on dermatological problems and miscarriages.

Register here.

July 30, 2014

The Iraq Meltdown: What Next?
Date: July 30, 12:00pm
Location: Heritage Foundation, Lehrman Auditorium, 214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington DC

The swift collapse of Iraqi security forces in northern Iraq in the face of an al-Qaeda-spearheaded Sunni insurgency is a disastrous setback for U.S. counterterrorism and Middle East policies that will have dangerous regional spillover effects. The Islamic State, formerly known the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and before that as Al-Qaeda in Iraq, now poses a rising threat to the United States and U.S. allies. Congressman Jim Bridenstine (R-OK) will discuss Iraq and the broader implications for the American foreign policy. Following his remarks, a panel of experts will discuss the current trends in Iraq.

RSVP here.

Subcommittee Hearings: Twenty-Years of U.S. Policy on North Korea: From Agreed Framework to Strategic Patience
Date: July 30, 3:00pm
Location: U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC 20515

In the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, Chairman Chabot says of this hearing, “In 1994, the Clinton Administration announced to the world the signing of the Agreed Framework that was supposed to result in a nuclear weapons-free North Korea.  Twenty-years later, the goal of denuclearization in North Korea is no closer to reality.  Rather, Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile weapons programs continue to make progress, threatening the stability of the entire Asia region. After 20 years of failed policies, it is time for a new approach to North Korea. The regime’s efforts to proliferate, counterfeit, and undermine are well-known and documented—as are North Korea’s systematic and horrific human rights abuses. This hearing will examine whether the Administration intends to cripple the North Korean regime by considering more targeted sanctions or whether the failed policy of “strategic patience” will continue. 

Scheduled witnesses include, The Honorable Glyn Davies, Special Representative for North Korea Policy in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, and The Honorable Robert King, Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights in the Office of the Special Envoy for Human Rights in North Korea, at the U.S. Department of State.

July 31, 2014

The North Korean  Economy: Challenges and Opportunities for Reform
Date: July 31, 9:00am
Location: Korean Economic Institute, 1800 K Street NW, Suite 1010, Washington DC 20006

In an era of globalization, North Korea remains one of the most isolated economies in the world. While normally still functioning as a planned economy, Pyongyang has pledged in recent years that no North Korean will “have to tighten their belts again.”

However, to truly fulfill that pledge, North Korea will need to engage in the types of reform that China, South Korea, and others have been advocating.  What steps has North Korea taken under Kim Jong-un to reform the economy and how successful have they been? What challenges are posed by the remnants of a failing state system trying to continue to function alongside emergent markets? How could international financial institutions help North Korea undertake economic reform?  What obstacles does North Korea face in developing a normal functioning economy?

Please join the Korea Economic Institute of America and the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy for a discussion on these and other issues that face the North Korea economy today.

RSVP here.

Gaza: Breaking the Viscous Cycle, A Conversation with Dr. Salam Fayyad, Former Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority
Date: July 31, 3:30pm
Location: Atlantic Council, 1030 15th Street NW, 12th Floor, West Tower, Washington DC

Renewed conflict between Israel and Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups in the past two weeks has resulted in over 700 casualties, more than 4,500 wounded, and the displacement of tens of thousands. Secretary of State John Kerry continues rounds of meetings in the region in an attempt to forge another ceasefire agreement to end the crisis and to lay the foundation for longer-term negotiations on the future of Israeli-Palestinian relations. Amid fierce fighting, Hamas political leader Khaled Mashal continues to reject a ceasefire until all of Hamas’s conditions are met in full. Acknowledging that there has been some progress toward cementing a deal, Secretary Kerry remarked on Wednesday that there is still work to be done.

Please join the Atlantic Council on Thursday, July 31, 2014 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. to welcome Dr. Salam Fayyad, former prime minister of the Palestinian Authority and new Atlantic Council distinguished statesman, as he discusses the current state of affairs in Gaza and the future of Israeli-Palestinian relations.

Register here.

 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Colin Powell: In Life and Leadership
Date: August 4, 7:00pm
Location: George Washington University, Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st Street NW, Washington DC 20052

Few American leaders know better than Colin Powell the axiom that war is a continuation of politics by other means. He is that rare leader who has seen the issue of war and peace from all sides, as a soldier on the ground in Vietnam, as a four-star general, as national security adviser, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and as the country’s first black secretary of state. Along the way, Powell has picked up a few thoughts on reaching goals and turning dreams into reality.

This evening, Powell, one of America’s most admired public figures, talks about what he has learned along the way to now. The interviewer is Frank Sesno, director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University.

Copies of Powell’s book, It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership (Harper), are available for sale and signing.

Member Tickets, $35; General Admission Tickets, $45. Tickets are available for purchase here.

Pandora Report 7.26.14

by juliadhomstad, posted in Pandora Report

Highlights this week include, Dr. Frieden goes to Washington, top Ebola doc comes down with the virus, a TB patient on the loose in California, and a plague based shut-down in China. Have a great weekend!

CDC Director to Tackle MERS, Measles, Global Health Threats

It was my absolute pleasure to be able to attend a talk given by Dr. Tom Frieden, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at the National Press Club on Tuesday.  Though Dr. Frieden briefly covered the stated topics, he spoke primarily about the dangers of growning antibiotic resistance and hospital acquired infections. He urged everyone, including the CDC, to work hard(er) to combat these issues that may usher us into a “post-antibiotic era.” The entire speech is available here. (You may even notice me in the lower left corner chowing down on a CDC cupcake!)

USA Today—“‘Anti-microbial resistance has the potential to harm or kill anyone in the country, undermine modern medicine, to devastate our economy and to make our health care system less stable,” Frieden said.

To combat the spread of resistant bacteria, Frieden said the CDC plans to isolate their existence in hospitals and shrink the numbers through tracking and stricter prevention methods.”

 

Sierra Leone’s Top Ebola Doctor Infected as the Worst Outbreak in History Continues

You may have seen this story pop up earlier this week in our facebook or twitter, but it certainly bears repeating. Dr. Sheik Umar Khan, who has been credited with treating more than 100 Ebola victims, has come down with the virus too. He is now one of hundreds who have been affected by the virus in West Africa, which has killed over 600.

The Washington Post-“In late June, Khan seemed keenly aware of the risk he faced. “I am afraid for my life, I must say, because I cherish my life,” he told Reuters. “Health workers are prone to the disease because we are the first port of call for somebody who is sickened by disease. Even with the full protective clothing you put on, you are at risk.’”

 

California Police Seek Man Who Refused Tuberculosis Treatment

Prosecutors in Northern California have obtained an arrest warrant for Eduardo Rosas Cruz, a 25 year old transient, who was diagnosed with TB and disappeared before he started treatment. Rosas Cruz needed to complete a nine-month course of treatment. Tuberculosis spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It is not known if Rosas Cruz is currently contagious. By law, health officials cannot force a patient to be treated but courts can be used to isolate an infectious individual from the public at large.

FOX News—“County health officials asked prosecutors to seek the warrant, in part, because Rosas Cruz comes from a part of Mexico known for its drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis. County health officials are searching for Rosas Cruz, and his name is in a statewide law enforcement system, San Joaquin County Deputy District Attorney Stephen Taylor said.”

 

In China, A Single Plague Death Means an Entire City Quarantined

Parts of Yumen City, in Gansu Province, were quarantined after a farmer died from bubonic plague. The man developed the disease after coming in contact with a dead marmot on a plain where his animals were grazing. According to experts, Chinese authorities categorize plague as a Class 1 disease, which enables them to label certain zones as “infection areas” and seal them off. 151 people were affected by the quarantine, which was lifted after none developed symptoms.

The Guardian—“The World Health Organization’s China office praised the Chinese government’s handling of the case. “The Chinese authorities notified WHO of the case of plague in Gansu province, as per their requirements under the International Health Regulations,” it said in a statement to the Guardian. “The national health authorities have advised us that they have determined this to be an isolated case, though they are continuing to monitor the patient’s close contacts.’”

 

Image Credit: RT

Listeria: Deadly Foodborne Threat to Vulnerable Populations

by juliadhomstad, posted in News

By Chris Healey

A listeria contamination scare has prompted a fruit packing company to issue a voluntary recall of peaches, nectarines, plums, and pluots shipped to Costco, Trader Joe’s, Kroger, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Ralphs, and Food 4 Less. The company—Wawona Packing Co.—issued the recall after an internal bacterial test found listeria on two nectarines. So far, no one has been sickened from affected fruit.

Listeria monocytogenes, the causative agent of listeriosis, is a common foodborne bacterial pathogen. With the ability to thrive in refrigerated foods, it can quickly multiply and spread on foods which have been properly stored and otherwise deemed safe for consumption. It is unique among foodborne illnesses for its tendency to cause miscarriages and encephalitis in sickened individuals.

Although listeria infection is uncommon, fatality rates reach as high as 30%. Several groups are prone to infection – pregnant women, infants, the elderly, organ transplant recipients, leukemia patients, and those with AIDS. The highest infection rates occur in infants younger than one month and adults older than 60 years.

Once ingested, listeria crosses the mucosal barrier of the intestines to the bloodstream. From there, listeria tends to target neuronal and placental tissue. Defenses associated with those tissues, such as the blood brain barrier of the central nervous system, are not effective because infected host cells can slip by unaffected and release bacteria.

CDC surveillance studies in the 1980s brought listeria to the attention of health professionals in the United States. Those studies determined L. monocytogenes was the causative agent of approximately 1850 cases of food poisoning and 425 deaths annually. Since identification, listeriosis incidence and associated death has decreased. Today, the CDC estimates 1600 cases of listeriosis with 260 fatalities yearly.

In 2002, Listeria was responsible for the largest meat recall in U.S. history. An epidemiologic investigation conducted after a listeriosis outbreak determined 54 case patients had consumed sliced deli-style turkey meat tainted with listeria. As a result, over 30 million pounds of food products were recalled.

The largest listeria outbreak occurred in 2011 due to contaminated cantaloupe from Jensen Farms in Colorado. During that outbreak, 147 people from 28 states became ill. Of those cases, 33 died. The CDC website reports a listeriosis outbreak occurrence every year since 2011.

To prevent listeriosis, the CDC recommends consumers rinse raw produce thoroughly before eating. Full recommendations from the CDC can be accessed here.

 

(Image Credit: Ximeg)

Image of the Week: Cholera 1974

by juliadhomstad, posted in Images

PHIL_2456_loresThis photograph was taken during a 1974 cholera research and nutrition survey amidst floodwaters around Bangladesh.

Cholera is caused by the Vibrio cholerae bacterium that lives among zooplankton in brackish waters, and in estuaries where rivers meet the sea. It infects humans through ingestion of such contaminated water.

 

Image and Caption Credit: CDC

This Week in DC: Events

by juliadhomstad, posted in Events, Week In DC

July 22, 2014

The 9/11 Commission Report: Ten Years Later
Date: July 22, 9:00am – 2:30pm
Location: Newseum, Knight Conference Center, Eighth Flood, 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC 20001

Join the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, former 9/11 Commission Chairman Tom Kean, former Vice Chairman Lee Hamilton and other commission members on the 10th anniversary of the release of the 9/11 Commission report to examine the threat to the nation; current homeland security challenges, successes and innovations; and the difficult questions and oversight obstacles presently facing policy makers.

Register here.

The Impact of Ukraine in the Neighborhood
Date: July 22, 10:00am
Location: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, 6th Floor, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC 20004

Russia’s annexation of Crimea and support of separatists in eastern Ukraine is having ripple effects throughout Eurasia.  But what has been the impact in the immediate neighborhood, the South Caucasus, Moldova, and Belarus as well as Ukraine itself? This distinguished panel will examine recent developments and prospects in each focusing first on the situation on the ground in Ukraine, the performance of the Poroshenko government, and the latest Russian moves. Georgia and Moldova, as well as Ukraine have now signed their partnership agreements with the EU; how has Russia reacted? How have internal politics in these countries been affected by Ukraine? What accounts for the nuanced approach taken by Belarus and the release of a prominent political prisoner? And what are the implications for US foreign policy?  Please join us for this special program which will be followed later this year by programs specifically on the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

RSVP here.

A Roadmap for Ukraine
Date: July 22, 12:00pm
Location: Atlantic Council, 1030 15th Street NW, 12th Floor, West Tower, Washington DC

The situation in Ukraine is extremely fragile as the Kremlin continues its relentless push against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. Following his victory in the first round of Ukraine’s presidential elections, Petro Poroshenko has galvanized the country’s security forces for a thus far successful campaign to restore orderthroughout the East. In response, however, the Kremlin has increased the inflow of military equipment and fighters into the Donbass.

An Atlantic Council delegation recently visited Ukraine. After an introduction by Paula Dobriansky, Damon Wilson and John Herbst will report on their recent trip to Kyiv. The Council will also present its latest papers on key issues facing Ukraine, including policy recommendations, which were presented to the US government.

Register here or watch online.

NPC Luncheon with Dr. Tom Frieden, Director, Centers for Disease Control
Date: July 22, 12:30pm
Location: National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington DC 20045

Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control, will address concerns about the MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) virus and other key health issues at a National Press Club luncheon on Tuesday, July 22.

Dr. Frieden will also discuss the sharp rise in U.S. measles cases and the growing number of antibiotic-resistant diseases, at the luncheon. Dr. Frieden, who has led the CDC since 2009, is a physician trained in internal medicine, infectious diseases, public health and epidemiology.

Lunch will be served at 12:30 pm, with remarks beginning at 1 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session ending at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for Press Club members. NPC members may purchase two tickets at the member rate. The price for all other non-member tickets is $36 each. Price for students is $21.

For questions, please email reservations@press.org or call (202) 662-7501. Tickets must be paid for at the time of purchase. Tickets are available for purchase here.

July 23, 2014 

National Security Space Launch and the Industrial Base: Issues and Opportunities
Date: July 23, 9:00am
Location: The Army & Navy Club, 901 17th Street NW, Washington DC 

In light of the deterioration in U.S.-Russian relations over the past several months, and the subsequent proposed Russian ban on the export to the U.S. of the RD-180 rocket engine, what are the space launch propulsion options for the United States in the coming years? In order to assess this question, the Air Force convened an independent advisory panel of experts, chaired by Major General Howard J. ‘Mitch’ Mitchell, USAF (ret.), to examine the impact of a Russian ban on the export of the RD-180 engine.

The independent advisory panel’s final report – now known as the Mitchell study – is classified, but in recent weeks enough has come out to build a worrying picture of U.S. options. A Russian ban of the export of the RD-180 will have a serious impact on the ability of the U.S. to use the Atlas V launch vehicle and the launch manifests assigned to it through 2020. Many of these manifests could be transferred to the Delta IV launch vehicle, but not with out significant delay and cost, and certainly not without the need for a new engine. A replacement for the RD-180 will take many years to develop, and will cost anywhere between $1.5-3 billion. That, at least, is the speculation reported by the media.

On July 23, the Marshall Institute will host a discussion of these issues, featuring:

Mr. Josh Hartman, CEO of Horizon Strategies Group, and a member of the Air Force’s independent advisory panel chaired by Maj. Gen. Mitchell; and

Professor Scott Pace, Director of the Space Policy Institute at the George Washington University, Washington, DC

To reserve a place, call 571-970-3180 or email info@marshall.org

Hearing: Terrorist March in Iraq: The U.S. Response
Date: July 23, 10:00am – 1:00pm
Location: 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC 20515

U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce, on the hearing: “The terrorist expansion in Iraq is not a surprise.  It has developed steadily over the past two years.  In the past year, the Iraqis have urgently requested additional U.S. counterterrorism assistance in the form of drone or air strikes against terrorist camps, and the Obama Administration declined.  Now this al-Qaeda offshoot has overrun a large part of Iraq, as well as Syria, and threatens to kill and capture even more people than it already has.  Stronger than ever, this terrorist group is also plotting against the U.S. homeland.  This hearing will examine the reasons behind the Administration’s decision not to adequately address this problem months ago and what it plans to do going forward.”

Alliance Challenges in Northeast Asia: Perspectives on U.S.-Japan-South Korea Relations
Date: July 23, 11:00am
Location: Heritage Foundation, Lehrman Auditorium, 214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington DC

Given the current strategic challenges in Northeast Asia – North Korea, East China Sea and other disputes with China, and the implementation of the U.S. pivot to Asia – it is more important than ever that the triangle of U.S.-Japan-South Korea relations remain strong. Yet Tokyo-Seoul relations are strained due to a difficult legacy of historical problems. What does this mean for the overall conduct of relations and improving trilateral security cooperation? Please join us for an expert discussion on Japan-Korea relations, and what it means from a U.S. perspective.

Register to attend in person or watch online.

Resisting Extremism through Media: Claiming a Space for Political Cartoons in Pakistan
Date: July 23, 3:00 – 4:30pm
Location: National Endowment for Democracy, 1025 F Street NW, Suite 800, Washington DC 20004

In some schools of Islam, the artistic portrayal of people and animals is often perceived as idolatrous, or at the very least offensive or sacrilegious. Following the 2001 destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan by the Taliban and the 2005 Danish Jyllands-PostenMuhammad cartoon controversy, Pakistan is experiencing a new wave of restrictions on the production of visual arts. This trend is part of a broader agenda by intolerant and extremist elements in Pakistan to limit freedom of expression and curtail cultural activities, including dance, music, and theater, that they believe offend Islam. Moreover, recent attacks on journalists by extremists not only serve to silence moderate voices but reinforce and propel a conservative ideology. The challenge now is to reclaim the power of images and to assert cartoons as a medium through which artists can convey messages across cultural and linguistic divides.

In his presentation, Sabir Nazar will use his widely-acclaimed political cartoons to discuss challenges faced by the media, the struggle for democracy, and the resistance to the rise of religious extremism in Pakistan. He will further expand on ways that visual artists can contribute through different media to reclaim the cultural space that is being lost to religious extremists. His presentation will be followed by comments by Brian Joseph.

Watch the livestream of this event here.

July 24, 2014

Confronting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria: Challenges and Options
Date: July 24, 12:00pm
Location: Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Rome Auditorium, 1619 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC 20036

The Middle East Institute and the Conflict Management Program at SAIS are pleased to a host a discussion about combating the rising influence of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Middle East Institute scholars Richard A. Clarke,Omar Al-Nidawi, Steven Simon, and Randa Slimwill examine the current status of the organization and its support network, focusing on the steps that Iraqi political actors and the U.S. administration can take to address the spread of its influence. Daniel Serwer (SAIS, The Middle East Institute) will moderate the event.

Register here.

The Congressional Role in U.S. Military Innovation: Preparing the Pentagon for the Warfighting Regimes of Tomorrow
Date: July 24, 12:00pm
Location: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Root Room, 1779 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC 20036

While the conventional wisdom holds that the United States Congress can be a hindrance to U.S. military planning and budgeting, history tells a different story. From the acquisition of aircraft carriers and submarines in the 1930s to unmanned vehicles in the 2000s, Congress has played a vital advocacy role in America’s defense innovation process.

Today, in a time of constrained budgets and amidst a refocus to the Asia-Pacific region, many questions remain about the proper force structure and defense strategy for the U.S. military, including:

  • How should the Pentagon prepare for the future under the budget burden of sequestration?
  • What technologies and future warfighting strategies will the United States need to adopt to dominate the battlefields of tomorrow?
  • What opportunities exist for Congress to help prepare the Pentagon for these new warfighting regimes?

On July 24, the Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence at Brookings will host a conversation with Reps. J. Randy Forbes and Jim Langevin. Rep. Forbes is the chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, where he is responsible for the sustainment of Navy and Marine Corps programs as well as the Air Force bomber and tanker fleets. Rep. Langevin is the ranking member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence, Emerging Threats and Capabilities and is widely seen as a leader on national security and cybersecurity issues. Michael O’Hanlon, senior fellow and director of research for Foreign Policy at Brookings, will moderate the discussion.

Following discussion on stage, the congressmen will take audience questions. Register here. 

July 25, 2014

The Future of Surface Warfare Lethality
Date: July 25, 11:30am
Location: Capitol Visitor Center—HVC 201, East Capitol Street NE and First Street SE, Washington DC 20004

As the U.S. turns its attention westward with the pivot to Asia, there is growing concern about whether the U.S. Navy’s surface fleet possesses sufficient lethality to meet the range of threats posed by a rising China. Representative Randy Forbes (R-VA), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, has openly questioned whether the U.S. Navy is “out-sticked” by Chinese counterparts who field anti-ship missiles with ranges far in excess of those on U.S. ships. The purchase of littoral combat ships, truncated at 32 ships due in part to the Secretary of Defense’s concern about sufficient lethality, demonstrates the increasing attention to surface warfare capacity.

On Friday, July 25th, Hudson Institute’s Center for American Seapower will host a panel on the state of U.S. Surface Force lethality across several warfighting domains and panelists will reflect on the direction of Surface Force lethality as demonstrated in the Navy’s FY15 budget submission.

Seth Cropsey, former Deputy Undersecretary of the Navy, will discuss land attack. Bryan Clark, former Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations, will speak on anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare. Bryan McGrath, a national security consultant and retired Naval Officer, will comment on integrated air and missile defense.

Lunch will be provided.

Please note that this event will be held at the Capitol Visitor Center in room HVC 201. Register by Tuesday, July 22nd at noon to attend this event.

Pandora Report 7.20.14

by juliadhomstad, posted in Pandora Report

I feel like its been a bad week, right? Between the crash—or shoot down—of MH 17 (with nearly 100 WHO HIV/AIDS researchers aboard) and events in Gaza with Israel, it sort of seems like it couldn’t get much worse. Well, turns out, it could. This week we have the first cases of Chikungunya in the U.S. and Ebola still raging. However, no one, in the biodefense world, had a worse week than the CDC.

 

First Chikungunya Case Acquired in the U.S. Reported in Florida

So far, in 2014, there have been 243 travel-associated cases of Chikungunya reported in 31 American states and two territories. This week, the infection numbers grew. The difference in this case, was that the man in Florida who was diagnosed, had not travelled outside the U.S. recently. This makes it the first case of the disease that had been acquired domestically.

WALB—“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working closely with the Florida Department of Health to investigate how the patient contracted the virus; the CDC said they will also monitor for additional locally acquired U.S. cases in the coming weeks and months.

“The arrival of Chikungunya virus, first in the tropical Americas and now in the United States, underscores the risks posed by this and other exotic pathogens,” said Roger Nasci, Ph.D., chief of CDC’s Arboviral Diseases Branch.”

 

WHO Can’t Fully Deal with Ebola Outbreak, Health Official Warns

With the death toll from the ebola outbreak in West Africa at 603 (at least), more bad news emerged this week when we learned that budget cuts to the WHO make it for difficult for the organization to respond to the ongoing medical emergency. Beyond funding issues, efforts to stem the outbreak have been hindered by some countries failure to implement the WHO’s International Health Regulations which outline methods of reporting disease outbreaks.

The LA Times—“‘The situation in West Africa should be a wake-up call to recognize that this weakening of this institution on which we all depend is not in anybody’s interest,” Scott Dowell, director of disease detection and emergency response at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a briefing in Washington. “In my view, there’s no way that WHO can respond in a way that we need it to.’”

 

Update on the Found Vials: There Weren’t 6; There Were 327.

In last week’s Pandora Report we learned about unsecured vials of smallpox that were found in an FDA cold storage room in a Maryland lab. This week we learned that it wasn’t just smallpox and it wasn’t just six vials—it was 327. Some of these vials contained select agents other than smallpox, like dengue, influenza, Q fever and rickettsia. Whoops!

Wired—“Here’ is the gist of the FDA’s external announcement, “…this collection was most likely assembled between 1946 and 1964 when standards for work with and storage of biological specimens were very different from those used today. All of the items labeled as infectious agents found in the collection of samples were stored in glass, heat-sealed vials that were well-packed, intact, and free of any leakage, and there is no evidence that anyone was exposed to these agents.”

 

Image Credit: Eduardo

Abrin: More Deadly and Less Common than Ricin

by juliadhomstad, posted in News

By Chris Healey

Abrin was among toxins found during an apartment search of a San Francisco man charged with possessing explosive material. An FBI affidavit states the suspect told investigators he acquired abrin to ease the suffering of cancer patients.

Abrin is a protein-based toxin from the jequirity bean, colloquially known as a rosary bead. The toxin is lethal in minute doses and causes serious symptoms in even smaller amounts. It is almost identical to a better-known toxin—ricin. Abrin is more lethal than ricin. Toxicologists estimate abrin’s lethal dose between .1 and 1 microgram per kilogram. In comparison, ricin is lethal between 5 and 10 micrograms per kilogram.

Both abrin and ricin consist of two proteins, A chain and B chain, linked by a disulfide bond. The proteins work together to enter the cell and disrupt its activity. B chain grants cell entry, while A chain transports to the ribosome and destroys it. Cells die shortly after ribosome destruction.

Abrin’s nonuse despite toxic superiority to ricin is ostensibly due to a matter of availability. As a byproduct of castor oil, an ingredient in soap and mechanical lubricant, ricin is very common. Conversely, rosary beads serve a limited purpose in prayer and are not consumed or destroyed in their role. One set of rosary beads can last for years before replacement is necessary. Their limited and reusable role makes them uncommon.

Availability also contributes to abrin and ricin’s historical precedence. According to a study conducted by the Federation of American Scientists, ricin has been maliciously used 37 times since 1983. Malicious abrin use is almost nonexistent except for several reports in India and Sri Lanka in the early 20th century.

Abrin is released from crushed jequirity beans. Individuals who handle beans whole and unaltered, as in prayer, are not exposed. Even in cases of jequirity bean ingestion, intoxication is dependent on how thoroughly beans are chewed. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and colic. Some less common symptoms include irregular heartbeat, irrationality, hallucinations, and seizures. In fatal cases, cause of death has been traced to gastrointestinal damage.

Abrin is a select agent designated by the Department of Health and Human Services. It is illegal to manufacture or possess any quantity of the toxin. Although jequirity beans contain abrin, they are not illegal. The law is broken when abrin toxin is isolated from a bean.

 

(Image Credit: Satdeep gill)

Is the NSABB Still Relevant to Today’s Biosecurity Challenges?

by Gregory Koblentz, posted in Policy Review

The National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB), the independent advisory group for biosecurity and dual-use research, is changing but not for the better. Science magazine is reporting that half of the group’s members are being replaced. Despite continuing uncertainty about the wisdom of certain types of “gain of function” research with influenza that generates novel strains of the virus, the board is set to lose some of its most experienced members.

Not that it really matters. The NSABB was effectively sidelined following the 2012 controversy over experiments that enabled H5N1 to be transmitted between mammals. Although the group’s charter calls for it to meet twice a year, it hasn’t met since November 2012. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), which runs NSABB, is now scheduling a one-day meeting for the fall. Since part of that meeting will be devoted to honoring the service of the members rotating off the board, don’t expect it to delve into substantive issues such as how well the dual-use research guidelines that NIH published in March 2012 are working, how much “gain of function” research with influenza is occurring in the US and abroad, or how developments in desktop gene synthesis will affect biosecurity.

Even if the NSABB did have regular meetings, it has been stripped of its ability to review dual-use research of concern like the H5N1 transmission experiments. In a little-noticed maneuver, NIH removed a key provision from the NSABB’s charter in April 2012 after its review of the H5N1 research had landed the NIH in hot water (NIH had funded the research without recognizing its dual-use implications) . Prior to 2012, the NSABB’s list of responsibilities included “Review and provide guidance on specific experiments insofar as they exemplify a significant or particularly complex permutation of an existing category of dual use research, or represent a novel category of dual use research that requires additional guidance from the NSABB.” After the H5N1 controversy highlighted the bureaucratic and political risks of having independent experts review dual-use research of concern, NIH got rid of NSABB’s ability to exercise this oversight function.

As the CDC’s mishandling of anthrax and H5N1 and the discovery of live smallpox in an old FDA lab on the NIH campus in Bethesda demonstrate, scientists are human too: they make mistakes. But when these mistakes have the potential to cause outbreaks or even pandemics, there need to be safeguards to ensure that the appropriate biosafety and biosecurity measures are in place. NSABB is not a silver bullet solution to these problems but without oversight of the kind provided by NSABB, the risks posed by bioerrors will only grow.

Week in DC: Events

by juliadhomstad, posted in Events, Week In DC

July 14, 2014

Security and Nigeria’s National Elections
Date: July 14, 9:00am – 2:00pm
Location: Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1616 Rhode Island Ave NW, 2nd Floor Conference Room, Washington DC 20036

Please join us for a discussion of the major security challenges facing Nigeria as its 2015 national elections approach. Panelists will examine the security situation at the national level and highlight innovative strategies being employed on the ground in violence-prone communities to anticipate, prevent, and militate against conflict. This conference is the third installment of an ongoing series, supported by the Ford Foundation, that brings Nigerian officials, civil society activists, and opinion leaders to Washington, D.C. to engage with U.S. policymakers and Africa experts on how best to ensure that Nigeria’s 2015 elections are free, fair, and peaceful. Lunch will be served.

Register here.

When if Foreign Internal Defense (FID) a Smart Policy Tool for Washington?
Date: July 14, 11:00am
Location: Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC 20001

Featuring David S. Maxwell, Associate Director, Center for Security Studies & Security Studies Program, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University; Sean McFate, Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council; Vanda Felbab-Brown, Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, The Brookings Institution; and James B. Story, Director, Office of Western Hemisphere Programs, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, U.S. Department of State; moderated by Jennifer Keister, Visiting Research Fellow, Cato Institute.

In an era of fiscal constraints and concerns about direct military involvement abroad, helping others defend themselves is an attractive option to address America’s global security concerns. Efforts to train, equip, and advise partner nations are elements of foreign internal defense (FID) policies. But when is FID a smart tool? Does FID produce more effective and self-sufficient partners, at lower political and financial costs to Americans? Or, does FID pull the United States into local fights, and risk outsourcing U.S. security interests to partners with limited capabilities and whose political interests may not align with ours? Please join us as the panelists discuss these and other questions.

Email to attend.

The Muslim Brotherhood: Between the Path of Ennahda and the Threat of ISIS
Date: July 14, 12:00pm
Location: The Carnegie Endowment, 1779 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC 20036

The Middle East Institute is pleased to host a discussion about the Muslim Brotherhood in the face of significant challenges to its status and future. Muslim Brotherhood experts Alison Pargeter (author,The Muslim Brotherhood: From Opposition to Power, Saqi Press, 2010), Hassan Mneimneh (The German Marshall Fund of the United States), and Eric Trager (Washington Institute for Near East Policy) will examine regional developments and trends affecting the Brotherhood from Tunisia to Syria, one year after the ouster of Mohamed Morsi and in light of growing competition from jihadi movements for dominance within Islamist circles. Kate Seelye (The Middle East Institute) will moderate the event.

Register here.

 

July 15, 2014

American Attitudes On Nuclear Negotiations with Iran
Date: July 15, 10:00am
Location: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1779 Massachusetts Ave NW, Choate Room, 1st Floor, Washington DC 20036

Our friends at the Program for Public Consultation, in association with the Center for International & Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM), are releasing the results of a very interesting study on American attitudes regarding the negotiations over Iran’s nuclear enrichment program. This study was conducted using the same policymaking simulation method developed for Voice Of the People’s Citizen Cabinet Project.You are cordially invited to join us at this special event.

As the United States and Iran approach the July 20th deadline for making a deal on Iran’s nuclear program, debate has intensified about what the U.S. should be willing to do. A new innovative survey of American public attitudes on this question will be released this Tuesday, July 15.

Register here.

The Madrid 3/11 Bombings, Jihadist Networks in Spain, and the Evolution of Terrorism in Western Europe
Date: July 15, 2:00pm
Location: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1779 Massachusetts Ave NW, Choate Room, 1st Floor, Washington DC 20036

On the morning of March 11, 2004, Islamic militants detonated a series of explosives placed on four commuter trains in Madrid, Spain, killing 191 individuals and injuring an additional 1,800. It was the worst terrorist attack in modern European history.

Ten years later, Professor Fernando Reinares, a senior analyst within Elcano Royal Institute, has now published a definitive account of the attacks, entitled,¡Matadlos! Quién Estuvo Detrás del 11-M y Por Qué Se Atentó en España (Kill Them! Who Was Behind 3/11 and Why Spain Was Targeted). Reinares provides evidence showing that the decision to attack Spain was made in December 2001 in Pakistan by Moroccan Amer Azizi – previously a charismatic member of Al Qaeda’s Spanish Abu Dahdah cell – and that the Madrid bombing network began its formation in March 2002, more than one year before the start of the Iraq war. Al Qaeda’s senior leadership then approved the 3/11 plan by mid-October 2003, Reinares reveals. Today Spain battles the challenge of jihadist radicalization and recruitment networks that are sending fighters to join the wars in Syria and elsewhere.

On July 15, the Intelligence Project at Brookings will host Professor Reinares for a discussion on his book’s revelations, the empirical data on the evolution of jihadism in Spain and the future of terrorism in Western Europe. Brookings Senior Fellow and Intelligence Project Director Bruce Riedel will provide introductory remarks and moderate the discussion. Following their remarks, Riedel and Reinares will take questions from the audience.

Register here.

Joint Subcommittee Hearing: The Rise of ISIL: Iraq and Beyond
Date: July 15, 2:00pm
Location: U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC 20515

The Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade and the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa hear testimony on the rise of ISIL in Iraq and beyond. Witnesses include The Honorable James Jeffrey, Philip Solondz Distinguished Visiting Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy and Former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq; General Jack Keane, USA, Retired, Chairman of the Board at the Institute for the Study of War; Mr. Doug Bandow, Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute; Mr. Michael Eisenstadt, Senior Fellow and Director of the Military and Security Studies Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Forgotten, but Not Gone: The Continuing Threat of Boko Haram
Date: July 15, 2:00pm
Location: International Institute for Strategic Studies, 2121 K Street NW, Suite 801, Washington DC 20037

When in April 2014 more than 270 girls were abducted from a school in northeastern Nigeria, unprecedented international attention turned to the perpetrators, Boko Haram, an Islamist group. Many activists and observers around the world were outraged by limited government actions to rescue the victims – most of whom remain in captivity today – and foreign governments, including the US government, have offered support in locating the young women.

The furor of the #BringBackOurGirls movement has faded rapidly and Boko Haram’s insurgency, now in its fourth year, has again been largely forgotten by the international media, despite the fact that violence has continued in the form of mass killings, attacks in the capital, Abuja, and new abductions.

Virginia Comolli will be discussing the implications of Boko Haram’s insurgency for Nigeria, repercussions for other West African countries and the role of non-African partners (and the US in particular) in dealing with the security challenges the group presents.

Register here.

 

July 16, 2014

Hearing: Iran’s Destabilizing Role in the Middle East
Date: July 16, 10:00am
Location: U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC 20515

The U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs will discuss Iran’s destabilizing role in the Middle East. Witnesses include: Mr. Scott Modell, Senior Associate and Burke Chair in Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies; Mr. Ray Takeyh, Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies on the Middle East Program at the Council on Foreign Relations; and Natan B. Sachs, Ph.D., Fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution.

The Resurgence of the Taliban
Date: July 16, 10:30am
Location: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1779 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC 20036

In autumn 2001, U.S. and NATO troops were deployed to Afghanistan to unseat the Taliban rulers. Yet, despite a more than decade-long attempt to eradicate them, the Taliban has endured—regrouping and reestablishing themselves as a significant insurgent movement. Hassan Abbas, author of The Taliban Revival: Violence and Extremism on the Pakistan-Afghanistan Frontier, will examine how the Taliban not only survived but adapted to regain power and political advantage. Carnegie’s Frederic Grare will moderate.

Register here.

Sustaining Strong Defense in the Era of Austere Budgets
Date: July 16, 12:00pm
Location: Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments

The debate on how to sustain a strong defense in the era of evolving threats and shrinking budgets has been stymied by the political impasse on Capitol Hill and the series of foreign policy crises that have preoccupied the defense officials and legislators.

Yet, the sum of small and big decisions made at the White House, in the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill in the past few months (and more importantly, the decisions that have not been made) are already shaping the military the United States would have to live with for decades to come.

  • What are the implications of the latest congressional actions on the DoD budget request?
  • What do programmatic and budget decisions mean for the future of the U.S. defense posture and capabilities?
  • And what are the areas of opportunities for DoD in this constrained budget environment?

Watch the live webcast of this discussion, as Rep. Randy Forbes, Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces and Todd Harrison, Senior Fellow and Director of Defense Budget Studies at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) answer these questions at a congressional luncheon. CSBA Board Chairman Nelson Ford moderates the discussion.

Inflammatory Rhetoric in Iran: Legal Responses and Other Remedies
Date: July 16, 5:30pm
Location: Jones Day, 300 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington DC

Recent statements by Iran’s new president apparently rejecting Holocaust denial have led some to hope that the Iranian regime’s anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric ceased with the departure of President Ahmadinejad. The former president was not the sole purveyor of such rhetoric, however. In November 2013, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called Israel “an illegitimate and bastard regime” and said its leaders “cannot be called human.” Does such language presage violence? What are the remedies for such speech, legal or otherwise? Join us for a discussion about the range of approaches for addressing Iranian leaders’ inflammatory rhetoric.

Featured Speakers include Irwin Cotler, Member of Parliament and Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada; Edwin Fountain, Partner, Jones Day and Special Counsel, Center for the Prevention of Genocide; Ray Takeyh, Council on Foreign Relations; Elizabeth White, Research Director, Center for the Prevention of Genocide. The Moderator will be Michael Abramowitz, Director, National Institute for Holocaust Education.

Register here.

Crisis in Iraq: What’s Next for Them and Us
Date: July 16, 6:00pm
Location: Embassy of Slovenia, 2410 California Street NW, Washington DC

Robin Wright, an author, journalist, and foreign policy analyst, has covered the Middle East for four decades. Wright has reported from 140 countries for The Washington Post, The New Yorker, TIME, The New York Times magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Los Angeles Times, and CBS News. Currently a joint fellow at United States Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Wright has been a fellow at Yale, Duke, Stanford, Dartmouth, Brookings and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

An accomplished author and editor, her recent books include Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion Across the Islamic World (2011), for which she received the Overseas Press Club’s award for best book on international affairs. Her other books include Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East (2008), The Iran Primer: Power, Politics and US Policy (2010), The Last Great Revolution: Turmoil and Transformation in Iran (2000), Sacred Rage: The Wrath of Militant Islam (2001), and The Islamists Are Coming: Who They Really Are (2012).

Space for this event is limited. WFPG members pay $25, non-members pay $40. Register here.

 

July 17, 2014

High Standards and High Stakes: Defining Terms of an Acceptable Iran Nuclear Deal
Date: July 17, 12:00pm
Location: Hart Senate Office Building, Room 902, Washington DC

As the P5+1 approaches the July 20th deadline for a final Iran nuclear deal, what standards should Congress seek in an acceptable agreement? And what are the stakes for the United States and its allies? Join BPC, the Foreign Policy Initiative, and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies for a public forum on these and other questions featuring Members of Congress and experts.

View the full agenda and register here.

 

July 18, 2014

Nuclear Centers of Excellence in Asia: Next Steps
Date: July 18, 9:00am
Location: Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1616 Rhode Island Ave NW, 212-A/B Conference room, Washington DC 20036

During the 2010 Nuclear Security Summit, Japan, China, and South Korea committed to establishing Centers of Excellence (COEs) aimed at training professionals in nuclear security and improving physical protection of nuclear materials.  With growing demand for nuclear energy in Asia, these COEs have an increased stake in improving national nuclear governance and potentially providing venues for regional collaboration in nuclear security.

The CSIS Proliferation Prevention Program invites you to join us for a day-long workshop that will cover: the accomplishments of the three COEs, the perspectives of officials in these countries on the progress and goals for their facilities, and discussion among government officials and experts on the future of cooperation in these areas.  A light lunch will be provided.

This event is cosponsored by CSIS, the U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration, and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency.

Statements at this event may be off the record. Please RSVP to Robert Kim at rkim@csis.org or call: 202-741-3921.

 

Mark Your Calendars for July 22, 2014!

NPC Luncheon with Dr. Tom Frieden, Director, Centers for Disease Control
Date: July 22, 12:30pm
Location: National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington DC 20045

Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control, will address concerns about the MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) virus and other key health issues at a National Press Club luncheon on Tuesday, July 22.

Dr. Frieden will also discuss the sharp rise in U.S. measles cases and the growing number of antibiotic-resistant diseases, at the luncheon. Dr. Frieden, who has led the CDC since 2009, is a physician trained in internal medicine, infectious diseases, public health and epidemiology.

 

Lunch will be served at 12:30 pm, with remarks beginning at 1 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session ending at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for Press Club members. NPC members may purchase two tickets at the member rate. The price for all other non-member tickets is $36 each. Price for students is $21.

For questions, please email reservations@press.org or call (202) 662-7501. Tickets must be paid for at the time of purchase. Tickets are available for purchase here.