Pandora Report 8.22.2025

by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

This week’s Pandora Report includes discussion of the twelfth anniversary of the sarin gas attack in the Ghouta district of Damascus, ODNI 2.0, avian influenza, new immunization guidance from ACOG and AAP, and more.

12th Anniversary of the Ghouta Sarin Attack

This week marks the twelfth anniversary of the Assad regime’s sarin gas attack on civilians in the Ghouta district of Damascus in 2013. The attack killed more than 1,400 people, many of whom were children. The Assad regime refused to cooperate with OPCW investigations into the attack, and it did not fully declare nor eliminate its CW program. While the interim authorities in Syria have been much more cooperative, concerns about inconsistencies and incomplete disclosures by Syria persist.

Further Reading:

NCBC, Other ODNI Centers Set to Be Restructured in “ODNI 2.0”

A recent fact sheet released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) explains that the current Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Tulsi Gabbard, is “transforming” ODNI “to eliminate redundant missions, functions and personnel, and bolster areas that need resources to support the President’s national intelligence priorities.” The document explains in its introduction that, “Part of this effort includes refocusing functions within the Foreign Malign Influence Center, the National Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Center, and the Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center, and integrating core functions and expertise from those offices into ODNI’s Mission Integration (MI) and the National Intelligence Council (NIC).”

The section discussing the National Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Center (NCBC) states that NCBC is redundant because elements within the NIC monitor intelligence related to WMD proliferation. It also discusses NCBC’s transformation from the National Counterproliferation Center to its current form during the COVID-19 pandemic. It concludes by stating, “Since that time, it has become apparent that taking action to address global health issues falls well outside of ODNI’s core mission.” The fact sheet later states that, “Descoping NCBC will save taxpayers approximately $29 million per year.”

The first issue here is the implication that the NIC can absorb and effectively continue the work NCBC does. While the NIC does consist of National Intelligence Officers who are experts on different regional and functional issues, it is unclear how the NIC would manage coordination of WMD and global health-focused intelligence at the scale NCBC has been. Furthermore, global health threats only continue to grow, and the administration’s rollbacks on programs that help address climate change, improve public health, and provide access to medical care will only worsen these threats.

The tax dollars saved by this move are also debatable. According to a report from the The Heritage Foundation that was created under the leadership of John Ratcliffe (who served as DNI during the first Trump administration and is the current Director of the CIA), the COVID-19 pandemic cost the United States $18 trillion in economic damage. The $29 million ODNI will allegedly save per year by rescoping NCBC is a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of being caught off guard by a global health threat like that of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, IC agencies are also reporting on these threats, but $29 million per year to help coordinate and integrate IC activities focused on emerging threats and challenges in counterproliferation and global health security seems like a much better and cheaper option than the risk of going without.

Some other points of interest outlined in the fact sheet include transferring the National Intelligence University’s programs to the National Defense University, the claim that NIC’s Strategic Futures Group was used by “the Intelligence Community’s deep state…to push a partisan political agenda,” the statement that “DNI Gabbard directed the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) to identify and invest in actionable solutions to address near-term gaps and problems in the IC, rather than investing in long-term concepts that may or may not be relevant to IC mission demands,” plans to close several offices, expansion of intelligence sharing between the National Counterterrorism Center and lower-level authorities, security clearance reform, and a portion boasting about firing 500 staffers from ODNI since the new administration began.

Further Reading:

Supreme Court Allows Nearly $800 Million in NIH Grant Cuts to Proceed

This week, a divided Supreme Court agreed 5-4 to pause a ruling made by a Reagan-appointed federal judge requiring the federal government to continue making payments on $783 million in NIH grants for the study of diseases in minority, gay, and transgender communities. The administration argued that the research was unscientific, did not improve health, provided little ROI, and went against President Trump’s efforts to eliminate initiatives related to DEI. Chief Justice Roberts joined Justices Kagan, Sotomayor, and Jackson in voting against the administration.

The court did also vote 5-4 to maintain the federal judge’s ruling that had thrown out internal NIH guidance documents that described the agency’s policy priorities. Justice Barrett joined the four justices listed above in voting to leave the lower court’s ruling on these documents in place.

Justice Jackson criticized her colleagues sharply, calling the ruling to terminate NIH funding “Calvinball jurisprudence with a twist,” further saying, “Calvinball has only one rule: There are no fixed rules. We seem to have two: that one, and this Administration always wins.”

The lawsuits in question were filed in April by two groups of plaintiffs. One is comprised of 16 states whose universities receive NIH funding, and the other is made up of the American Public Health Association, researchers, a union, and a reproductive health advocacy group. The plaintiffs contend in their suits that the termination of groups violated both the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act.

In their court filings, the plaintiffs explain that NIH cut more than 1,700 grants in just a few months, arguing that the cuts go beyond what is typically understood as relating to DEI. They point to impacted research that includes studies of cardiovascular health in the rural South, ways to reduce disparities in kidney disease, connections between traffic-related pollution and dementia-related diseases, COVID-19, vaccine hesitancy, and the health effects of climate change.

Further Reading:

Stressful Week at CDC as Shooting Aftermath Coincides with More Termination Notices, New Information on Attacker

An email sent to all CDC employees by the CDC security team this week revealed that the shooter who targeted the agency’s main campus in Atlanta on August 8 explained that he had tried to enter the campus two days prior to the shooting. This information was revealed shortly after hundreds of CDC employees received final termination notices. Employees told The Washington Post that the layoffs, new information about the shooter and his apparent motivations, and the shooting itself have all compounded the stress those working at CDC are feeling.

The shooting prompted current and former HHS employees to sign a letter this week accusing Secretary Kennedy of endangering the lives of employees and the public by dismantling public health infrastructure, sowing public mistrust by questioning the integrity and morality of CDC’s workforce (including calling CDC a “cesspool of corruption”), spreading vaccine and health misinformation, and haphazardly firing CDC employees. The letter currently has more than 3,700 signatures.

Further Reading:

Updates on Immunization Guidance

AAP Breaks from ACIP on Vaccine Recommendations

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released this week its own evidence-based immunization schedule, breaking from recent recommendations made by CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). In a statement about its new guidance, AAP said, “Since its founding in 1930, the American Academy of Pediatrics has been a leading voice in vaccine recommendations, creating evidence-based guidance to support pediatricians in caring for children and families. The schedule published Tuesday continues in this tradition. It differs from recent recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the CDC, which was overhauled this year and replaced with individuals who have a history of spreading vaccine misinformation.”

Just hours after AAP published this, Secretary Kennedy attacked the group, accusing it of engaging in a “pay-to-play scheme to promote commercial ambitions of AAP’s Big Pharma benefactors.” Kennedy criticized AAP’s recommendation that children between six and 23 months receive COVID-19 vaccines, suggesting that the recommendation was made because of financial contributions from Pfizer and Moderna.

A spokesperson for HHS accused AAP of “freelancing its own recommendations, while smearing those who demand accountability,” in a statement to the press this week. AAP President Susan J. Kressly defended her organization’s guidance, saying that the recommendations were “based only in the science, the needs of children, and the care that pediatricians have for the children in every community.”

ACOG Releases Updated Maternal Immunization Guidance for COVID-19, Influenza, and RSV

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released today updated clinical guidance for vaccination during pregnancy for COVID-19, influenza, and RSV. The three new documents all recommend maternal immunization and “lay out the full body of current scientific evidence that underscores the safety and benefits of choosing to be vaccinated against these respiratory conditions during pregnancy.”

ACOG President Steven J. Fleischman said in a statement about the guidance, “It is well documented that respiratory conditions can cause poor outcomes during pregnancy, with pregnant women facing both severe illness and threats to the health of their pregnancy. Thanks to vaccines, severe outcomes from respiratory infections are largely preventable. ACOG’s updated respiratory guidance documents repeat what we have long known: that vaccines continue to be the best tool available for pregnant patients to protect themselves and their infants from these viruses.”

Secretary Kennedy announced in May that the CDC will no longer recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy pregnant women. This prompted widespread backlash, with many professional organizations, state and local health authorities, and providers continuing to recommend the vaccine for pregnant people. Secretary Kennedy’s ACIP appointees voted to recommend both adults and children no longer receive influenza vaccines that use the preservative thimerosal. The body did vote to add RSV options to recommendations, though some members did cast doubt on the safety of coadministration of RSV vaccines to children alongside other vaccines, despite CDC data indicating the safety of doing so.

Further Reading:

Avian Influenza Updates

By Margeaux Malone, Pandora Report Associate Editor 

Preparing for Fall: H5N1 Research and Surveillance Target Multiple Species

Although we continue to see avian influenza cases lull between spring and fall waterfowl migration seasons, multiple developments this week underscore that preparedness efforts are anything but dormant. The current calm provides valuable time for research investments and policy preparations that may prove critical when viral activity inevitably increases with fall migration patterns.

Major Research Investments Announced in Swine

The Swine Health Information Center, Pork Checkoff, and Foundation for Foods & Agriculture Research announced funding for 10 new H5N1 research projects in pigs, as part of their joint H5N1 Risk to Swine Research Program. The projects, totaling $2.1 million in funding, will be conducted across various U.S. universities to address multiple areas of interest related to bird flu in swine including vaccine development and cross-protection, introduction and transmission risks, potential for mammary transmission, diagnostic surveillance, and biosecurity practices. This represents a critical knowledge gap, as pigs can serve as “mixing vessels” for influenza viruses due to their susceptibility to both avian and human strains. All of the projects were started this summer and are expected to run 12 to 18 months. The results will be shared with veterinarians and swine producers “as soon as they become available” to allow for informed decision-making and timely implementation of protective measures in swine herds.

Dairy Industry Calls for Unified Response

A comprehensive review in the Journal of Dairy Science emphasizes that controlling H5N1 will require a coordinated effort across the dairy sector using a One Health approach that considers the intersection of animal, human, and environmental health. Dr. Jason Lombard, lead author and veterinarian from Colorado State University, explains, “The H5N1 outbreak in dairy cattle is unlike anything we have seen before—it has an exceptional ability to spread between farms and among cows within a farm—and is the first time an infectious disease of this magnitude has affected the US dairy sector in nearly 100 years. It has revealed challenges we still haven’t solved in our ability to detect, report, and manage new diseases.” In the review, the authors emphasize three key policy recommendations: declare H5N1 a public health emergency with mandatory (free!) ongoing nationwide testing of representative samples in dairy and beef cattle, expand CDC’s wastewater surveillance program for H5N1, and make vaccines available to any potentially exposed workers with a plan for nationwide distribution.

CDC Looking to Connect with Backyard Flock Owners

Despite CDC’s decision in July to scale back H5N1 updates and halt reporting of animal detections on their website, the agency has not stopped its surveillance and engagement efforts related to bird flu. CDC recently opened an anonymous survey intended for backyard flock owners, seeking to better understand how bird flu impacts this community and to help strengthen prevention strategies. The 10-15 minute survey covers flock characteristics, owners’ knowledge of bird flu symptoms in both birds and humans, perceived risks to their flocks, attitudes toward protective measures like vaccination, and current biosecurity practices. Backyard flocks represent an important component of the bird flu overall surveillance picture, as human cases have occurred among those exposed to non-commercial flocks as well as in dairy and commercial poultry workers. The URL link to the survey can be found here and questions can be directed to h5flustudy@cdc.gov.

Further Reading:

Other Relevant Happenings

New Details on Unit 731

Recall Issued for Frozen Shrimp in 13 States for Potential Radioactive Contamination

32,000 Lbs of Meat Products Recalled for Falsely Using FDA Inspection Labels

21 People Infected with E. Coli After Consuming Raw Milk in Florida

“Ensuring Security Against Biological Weapons in a Changing World”

From WOAH: “In an age where global conflict is nuanced and highly complex, animals can become a target for criminal networks, terrorist groups and other non-state actors. While the connection between conflict and intentionally released biological agents is nothing new, today’s intersecting challenges demand transformative action from across sectors to prepare for an unpredictable future.”

Read more here.

“Exploring the Offense-Defense Balance of Biology”

From the RAND Corporation: “As advancements in synthetic biology and related enabling technologies lower barriers to both pathogen engineering and pharmaceutical development, it is important to understand how these advances shift the balance between attackers and defenders. This high-level qualitative assessment identifies four asymmetries likely to favor attackers (kinetic considerations, financial burden, threat surface, and consequences of failure) and one likely to favor defenders (access to knowledge and materials).”

“This paper does not include the quantitative analysis necessary to fully assess the offense-defense balance in biology but does lay essential groundwork for future research. The identification of four out of five asymmetries favoring attackers suggests that biology currently confers a distinct advantage to attackers. Although the current asymmetry in access to knowledge and materials favors defenders, this advantage may be difficult to maintain as biotechnology becomes cheaper, more accessible, and decentralized.”

“To mitigate rising risks, defenders can pursue strategic interventions that tilt the balance in their favor. These include streamlining regulatory pathways for pharmaceutical countermeasures, investing in pathogen-agnostic defenses, and applying the principle of differential technology development—intentionally accelerating innovations that disproportionately enhance defensive resilience. By understanding and addressing these asymmetries, policymakers can better navigate both safeguarding public health and sustaining scientific progress.”

“Enhancing Transparency for Bioscience Research and Development”

From NIT: “Rapid advances in modern bioscience and biotechnology are providing researchers with powerful new tools to drive breakthroughs in human health, climate resilience, and economic development. However, these advances are also accompanied by risks of deliberate misuse. The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)—now in its 50th year—embodies the global norm against biological weapons development and use and is the main international treaty that guards against these risks. While vital, the BWC is constrained by a lack of robust mechanisms for assessing compliance. Now is the time to address this gap by taking action to enhance transparency in life science research. Transparency can build trust between nations, increase the opportunity cost of developing biological weapons, and strengthen capabilities to detect covert biological weapons programs. To enhance transparency in bioscience research and development and to build confidence in compliance with the BWC norm against developing and using biological weapons, this report puts forward six concrete and actionable recommendations.”

“This moment is marked by both the breakneck speed of life science advances and a political opening within the BWC to reopen decades-long stalled discussions on confidence-building, transparency, compliance, and verification. Governments, industry, nongovernmental organizations, and academia should work together to enhance transparency in life science research, fostering innovation and its societal benefits while also building trust that it is not being exploited to cause harm.”

“The 1925 Geneva Protocol: The League of Nations’ Only Arms Control Agreement”

Jean Pascal Zanders recently published this working paper as part of a series on the history of CBW: “On Wednesday, 17 June 1925, the Conference for the Supervision of the International Traffic in Arms successfully concluded six weeks of negotiations with three agreements. One of them was the Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare. Of the forty-four participating delegations, twenty-six possessed plenipotentiary power to sign the Protocol before the closing of the Conference. Another twelve states affixed their signatures and ratified the document before its general entry into force on 8 February 1928. As of June 2025, 147 states are party to the Geneva Protocol, as the legal instrument is commonly known.”

“Despite being a mere single-page long, the agreement has limited the use of chemical weapons (CW) in armed conflicts and all but prevented the deliberate spread of disease as a method of warfare. Being part of the laws of war, it did not forbid the development, production and possession of chemical and bacteriological (biological) weapons (CBW). Still, it paved the way for the 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) and the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). In addition, it provides the legal foundation for the UN Secretary-General’s Mechanism to investigate alleged CBW use. The 1998 Rome Statute, which established the International Criminal Court, uses Protocol language to declare CW use a war crime. (A later amendment added BW use to the list of war crimes but utilised the reference to biological and bacteriological agents in the BTWC.)”

“While today nobody contests the Geneva Protocol’s contribution to the development of the norm against CBW, little is known about the factors that contributed to its emergence and negotiation. Why was the document a protocol and not a treaty? Given the supposed widespread abhorrence against CW after the massive and systematic use of gas during the First World War, why did it take almost seven years for the international community to translate this repugnance into a global ban? Why did the centuries-old customary prohibition of poison use, codified for the first time at the 1899 Hague Convention and restated at the 1907 Hague Convention, no longer suffice? How did the negotiators, seemingly out of nowhere, decide to include disease as a method of warfare in the Protocol? This issue of Historical Studies aims to answer these and many other questions.”

Read more about this paper and series on Zanders’ website, The Trench, here.

NEW: Next Gen Biosecurity Game Changers Seminar: Regional Policies for Mitigating Risks Associated with AI-enabled Biodesign

From Brown Pandemic Center: “On August 27th at 11:00 AM ET, join the fourth event in a seminar series hosted by the Pandemic Center Biosecurity Game Changers Fellows: Regional Policies for Mitigating Risks Associated with AI-enabled Biodesign.”

“Convened and moderated by and intended for early-to-mid-career professionals, the Game Changers Seminar Series shines a spotlight on major challenges that will confront the next generation of biosecurity leaders and impactful next steps that can be taken to lean forward faster to prevent biological crises.”

Learn more and register here.

Mission Critical: How One Hospital Maintained Operations and Protected Patients and Staff After Hurricane Helene

From ASPR TRACIE: “In September 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm, causing historic flooding, tornadoes, and widespread infrastructure damage across the Southeastern U.S. Despite total utility failures, road closures, and supply shortages, Mission Health—comprised of six acute care hospitals in the Western North Carolina region—successfully maintained critical operations, protected patients and staff, and continued providing essential services.”

“The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (ASPR TRACIE) invite you to learn more about this webinar featuring HCA Healthcare representatives. They will share lessons learned, including how leadership made key decisions to sustain operations, secure essential resources, ensure patient and staff safety, and expand support to the surrounding community. Learn how strong leadership, planning, and adaptability enabled a comprehensive and resilient response during and after the storm.”

This event will take place on August 27, 12:30-1:45 PM ET. Register here.

Biological Threats in the Age of Emerging Biotechnology – A Workshop Series

From NASEM: “The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) will convene an ad hoc planning committee to organize a workshop series with international scientists. The series will engage early-career and established experts to: a) examine dual-use risks in biotechnology research; b) explore potential misuse of knowledge, tools, and materials; c) review existing frameworks for assessing and mitigating dual-use concerns; and d) identify steps to reduce exploitation while promoting responsible innovation. The workshops will focus on balancing scientific progress with security considerations. Key insights and recommendations will be compiled in a publicly available workshop proceedings document.”

These workshops will take place 10 am-1 pm ET on September 10, 17, and 18. Register here.

CTD–SPECTRE Symposium, “Tropical and Emerging Infectious Diseases for Clinicians and Translational Scientists” 

“The CTD-SPECTRE Symposium on Tropical and Emerging Infectious Diseases for Clinicians and Translational Scientists 2025 offers a unique opportunity to connect with global experts, gain cutting-edge insights, and collaborate with peers dedicated to infectious disease research and treatment.”

“Taking place September 16 -19, 2025, at the historic Grand Galvez in Galveston, TX, this immersive symposium will unite clinicians, translational investigators, and trainees to explore the latest breakthroughs in tropical and emerging infectious diseases.”

“Hosted by the Division of Infectious Diseases at UTMB, Center for Tropical Diseases (CTD) and Special Pathogens Excellence in Clinical Treatment, Readiness, & Education (SPECTRE) Program.”

Learn more and register here.

Mirror Image Biology: Pushing the Envelope in Designing Biological Systems – A Workshop

From NASEM: “Most biological molecules are chiral entities where their mirror images have different structures and functional characteristics. Scientists have begun synthesizing left-handed DNA and RNA and creating proteins that can write left-handed nucleic acids. This, and other related research, is described as “mirror biology” and includes research toward creating mirror-image self-replicating living systems. The National Academies will host a foundational workshop on mirror biology, focusing on the state of the science, trends in research and development, risks and benefits of this research, and considerations relating for future governance of relevant enabling technologies.”

This event will take place virtually, September 29-30. Register here.

Global Conference on Biological Threat Reduction

From the World Organisation for Animal Health: “In October 2025, WOAH is hosting its third Global Conference, with the goal of galvanising advocacy efforts to manage the rising risk of biological threats from across the world.”

“The Global Conference on Biological Threat Reduction – which will take place in Geneva on 28-30 October 2025 – will bring together top minds in the fields of
health-security, emerging technologies, and biothreat reduction policies, from the public and private sectors – to focus on the latest strategies, challenges and innovations in combating biological threats to our interconnected ecosystems.”

“The Conference will bring together approximately 400 participants from different sectors, including animal health, law enforcement and security, public health, international and regional organisations, investment and development partners, private sector and industry representatives, research, academia and regulatory authorities, youth organisations.”

“Attendees will engage in thought-provoking discussions and innovative technical presentations aimed at strengthening prevention, preparedness and response capabilities across the world.”

“The event will be guided by a narrative that traces WOAH’s commitment to biological threat reduction and the increasingly relevant role it plays at the health-security interface. Against the backdrop of an uncertain future, WOAH believes that synergies between sectors can drive positive change – making the world a safer and healthier place. ”

Learn more and register here.

New Call for Experts to Join the Second Term of the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO)

“Opening call for applications from 30 July–30 August 2025”

“WHO welcomes expressions of interest for SAGO’s second term 2025-2027 from individuals with significant expertise in one or more of the technical disciplines listed below in order to ensure a multi-disciplinary One Health approach.”

“The call will open from 30 July–30 August 2025, closing at 24:00 Central European Summer Time (CEST; UTC +2) on 30 August 2025. Applications require a Curriculum Vitae, a cover letter, and signed Declaration of Interests form.”

Read more here.

Applied Biosafety Call for Papers

“The Editors of Applied Biosafety are pleased to announce a forthcoming Special Issue focused on the myriad of topics associated with global biosafety management. This special issue will showcase examples of innovative approaches, creative solutions, and best practices developed and used around the world for managing risks associated with the handling, use, and storage of infectious biological agents, toxins, and potentially infectious materials in research and clinical settings.”

Learn more and submit by November 1 here.

64th ISODARCO Course

From ISODARCO: “In recent years, the global security landscape has become increasingly volatile, shaped by a convergence of geopolitical tensions, technological advancements, and evolving nuclear doctrines. The post-Cold War order that once provided a measure of predictability in global security has eroded. Conflicts such as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific, and strategic competition between major powers have reshaped alliances and strategic postures.”

“At the same time, disruptive technologies including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, hypersonic missiles, and cyber threats – are adding new layers of complexity to both nuclear and conventional deterrence dynamics. These technologies are not only distorting the information landscape but also compressing decision-making timelines and complicating signaling mechanisms, increasing the risk of miscalculation.”

“Effectively managing nuclear escalation risks in this environment will require a combination of innovative diplomacy, technological safeguards, and renewed dialogue mechanisms to rebuild trust, reduce misperceptions, and stabilize strategic relations.”

“The ISODARCO 2026 Winter Course presents an invaluable opportunity for students and experts to discuss and examine these dynamics in depth and explore approaches to re-establishing strategic stability and reducing nuclear dangers in a volatile world.”

This course will take place January 11-18, 2026, in Andalo. Learn more and apply here.

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