Welcome to this week’s Pandora Report! This issue examines mounting pressures on global biosecurity, from a funding crisis threatening the OPCW to new H5N1 detections in Washington state and proposed changes to federal biosafety oversight.
OPCW Funding Crisis Threatens Global Chemical Weapons Oversight
Former Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ahmet Üzümcü, warns that delayed member-state contributions are jeopardizing the organization’s ability to monitor and prevent chemical weapons proliferation. As of October 13, the OPCW had received less than 65% of its assessed contributions for the year. The United States, which contributes over 20 percent of the budget, reportedly owes $17 million for 2026. Üzümcü highlights the organization’s continuing work to investigate chemical weapons use in Syria, address allegations in Ukraine and Sudan, and strengthen safeguards against emerging chemical threats, including those enabled by artificial intelligence. He urges the United States and other member states to meet their financial obligations to ensure the OPCW can continue protecting international security.
Washington State to Washington DC: Bird Flu Hits the Headlines
By Margeaux Malone, Pandora Report Associate Editor
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has been detected in dairy cattle in Washington state for the first time. After two years and over 7,000 negative surveillance tests for HPAI, the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory detected the virus on two Yakima County dairy farms. The USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) confirmed the results via PCR on October 8, 2026. Both farms are under quarantine with strict biosecurity measures in place, and veterinarians are working to treat the sick cows.
Officials stated pasteurized milk remains safe and no supply shortages are expected but advised that raw milk and other raw dairy products are unsafe for consumption. CDC and the Washington State Department of Health consider the risk to the general public to be low, though people working closely with infected animals are advised to wear personal protective equipment.
Dairy cattle in 19 states have been infected since the outbreak began in March 2024. In the last 30 days, Kansas and Texas have also had confirmed cases of H5N1 in dairy herds. Veterinary officials urged implementation of enhanced biosecurity efforts and prompt reporting of any symptoms. Unlike in poultry, whose mortality rate from bird flu is 75-100%, most cattle affected by HPAI recover in about six weeks with supportive care.
As efforts to strengthen biosecurity across agricultural sectors continue into the fall flu season, discussions surrounding H5N1 vaccines have again made the headlines. News outlets recently reported that a federal strategy for vaccinating poultry against the virus was shelved due to vaccine hesitancy within the Trump administration. Insiders told Politico that although USDA gave conditional approval for a poultry vaccine against H5N1, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was concerned the plan would conflict with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s views on vaccines. Kennedy publicly disavowed vaccinating chickens in March 2025 and suggested letting the disease “run through the flock” to identify birds with natural immunity. Veterinary experts criticized that idea, warning it could give the virus more opportunities to mutate. Rollins reportedly still urged the importance of a comprehensive vaccination strategy and directed USDA veterinary services staff to develop an internal plan. Although the strategy’s technical and communication components were reportedly ready by summer 2025, the final document was ultimately shared with fewer than a dozen people. At this time, USDA has not indicated that it plans to begin vaccinating domestic poultry against H5N1 in the near future.
Further Reading:
- “In Greenland, 4 polar bears test positive for H5N1 avian flu antibodies,” Mary Van Beusekom, CIDRAP
- “Shy albatross colony on remote Tasmanian island to receive bird flu vaccine in complex operation,” Kelsey Reid, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
NIH Seeks Public Comment on Draft Biosafety Policy
NIH has issued a request for public comment on its Draft Biosafety Policy for Research Involving Biohazards (Biosafety Policy). In September 2025, NIH announced its intention to strengthen and modernize biosafety oversight. Since then, NIH has extensively engaged stakeholders to inform the development of a new oversight paradigm better calibrated to risk. NIH invites stakeholders to provide feedback on the Draft Biosafety Policy and the associated Draft Incident Reporting Template and Draft Meeting Minutes Template. Comments must be submitted through the online portal and will be accepted until October 19. To further assist stakeholders in interpreting the Draft Biosafety Policy, NIH has also developed a summary table of proposed changes. Questions may be sent to SciencePolicy@od.nih.gov.
Further Reading:
- “NIH’s Draft Biosafety Policy Needs Researcher Input,” Antony Schwartz, The Scientist
IN OTHER NEWS
Biological Weapons and the Russian Plague Incident
- “Inside the Plague Research Labs at the Heart of a Russian Mystery,” K. R. Callaway, NY Times, featuring Sonia Ben Ouagrham-Gormley
- “Plague Research Isn’t the Problem. But Russia Still Has Questions to Answer.” Gigi Kwik Gronvall, The Moscow Times
- “John Bolton: How the U.S. should respond to Russia’s plague incident,” John R. Bolton, Washington Post
- “Russia’s Biolab Accusations Have Come Home,” David Averre, Newsweek
- “The biological weapons program also included plague pathogens.” Ingo Arzt and Mariya Martiyenko, Die Ziet
- “25 Years Since the Anthrax Attacks: Where Are We Now?” Center for Strategic & International Studies
- “Twenty-Five Years After Amerithrax,” Al Mauroni, Substack
Chemical Weapons, Arms Control, and International Security
- “State Dept. funding delay imperils plan to destroy Syrian chemical weapons,” Adam Taylor, Washington Post
- “African NGO forum urges Sudan to open sites to chemical weapons inspectors,” The National
- “Chemical weapons: Council renews framework for restrictive measures and individual listings,” Council of the European Union
- “From Allegations of Chlorine Use to Sanctions: Sudan Faces Mounting International Pressure,” Business Matters
AI and Emerging Biological Threats
- “Biosecurity for the Age of AI,” Edward You, Issues
- “Could AI ‘change the stakes’ in the development of bioweapons?” Ian Sample, The Guardian, featuring Sonia Ben Ouagrham-Gormley
- “We Aren’t Ready for the New Age of Biological Threats,” Jeff Coller, NY Times
- “US soldiers can’t be protected from all bioweapons, Army admits amid troubling surge in threats,” Morgan Phillips, Fox News
Global Health Security and Existential Risks
- “In May, the first cases of Ebola were reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” Heather Kerr, NY Times
- “General Assembly adopts pandemic declaration, but not by consensus,” United Nations
- “The Lancet Commission on 21st century global threats to health,” The Lancet
- “Rethinking threats to human survival,” The Lancet
- “Nuclear war and malicious use of AI threaten end of humanity by 2100, says Lancet assessment,” Kat Lay, The Guardian
NEW: Biosecurity & Pandemic Preparedness: Why We Need a Stronger Health Emergency Workforce
Friday, October 23 | 11:00 am ET
From the Pandemic Center Biosecurity Game Changer Fellows: “The current Ebola outbreak and other recent health emergencies have highlighted the critical role of a well-prepared health emergency workforce in preventing and responding to biological threats. This seminar will explore approaches to strengthening health emergency workforces, including workforce capacity, surge preparedness, coordination, and leadership, while drawing on practical lessons to support preparedness and response.”
Cross-Sector Collaborations to Counter Deliberate Biothreats – A Webinar Series
Thursday, October 22 | 8:00 – 9:00 pm Singapore Time or 8:00 – 9:00 am ET
From Asia Centre for Health Security (ACHS): “Deliberate biothreats present complex challenges that cannot be addressed by health or security sectors acting alone. Effective prevention, detection, and response to biological threats require sustained intersectoral coordination, including across public health, animal health, law enforcement, and defense. Mr. Trevor Smith will speak from his extensive experience with Global Affairs Canada’s Weapons Threat Reduction Program in international weapons of mass destruction (WMD) threat reduction initiatives. We will explore how partnerships across sectors and countries can strengthen resilient systems to counter current and emerging deliberate biothreats.”
Biomanufacturing for Defense & Security Summit
October 27-28 at the National Harbor, MD
From Diversified Solutions Incorporated (DSI Groups): “This event will bring together senior thought leaders and stakeholders from across DoW, Military Research Labs, Federal Government, Commercial Industry, & Academia to discuss how each are advancing biomanufacturing to enhance national security objectives, produce critical materials for defense applications, and strengthen the overall U.S. bioindustrial manufacturing base. Biomanufacturing is crucial for U.S. national security because it enables domestic production of critical materials, medicines, and defense supplies, reducing reliance on foreign adversaries, which in turn creates resilient supply chains for the military and economy.”
Milbank Quarterly Webinar – State Policy Levers for Infectious Disease Control
Thursday, October 29 | 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET
From Milbank Memorial Fund: “Major infectious disease outbreaks in 2026, including a multi-state measles surge, the iceberg lettuce-linked cyclosporiasis outbreak, and the hantavirus outbreak, underscore the importance of infectious disease control infrastructure. Join us for a Milbank Quarterly webinar with the authors of two articles about state infectious disease policy from our special issue, Disease Burden, Mortality, and Life Expectancy in the United States: What Can State Policymakers Do to Meet the Challenges?”
Frontiers in Synthetic Biology: SpudCells, Mirror Life and Societal Implications
Thursday, October 29, 3:00 PM ET
From the Consortium on Law and Values: “Advances in cell engineering and synthetic biology offer enormous potential benefits, while raising ethical and policy issues. SpudCell, the first synthetic cell that can grow and reproduce, built from non-living chemicals, was developed by a team at the University of Minnesota. Scientists have cautioned against creating organisms with molecules that are mirror images of the biological components of known life, as existing organisms would have no immune defenses. Join three experts on synthetic biology, biosecurity, and bioethics to explore how to realize the promise of synthetic biology while controlling potential risks.”
Understanding Zoonotic Disease Risk in Violent and Conflict-Affected Places: Where Do We Go from Here? – A Talk
Friday, October 30 | 11:00 am – 12:00 pm ET
From Johns Hopkins: “The next pandemic will likely be caused by a zoonotic pathogen and will likely emerge in a place affected by conflict and violence. As such, disease spillover and spread will likely be affected by informal and extralegal economies, population displacement, distrust between people and governmental authorities, and failing health and disease surveillance systems. This talk will discuss findings and lessons learned from collaborative, interdisciplinary research on zoonotic disease risk among pastoralists in eastern Ethiopia and gather feedback on remaining questions and potential next steps.”
AI, Biosecurity, and Pandemic Preparedness in the Global South
Monday, November 2, from 8:00-9:30 AM ET
Medical Events Global is hosting a free 90-minute virtual workshop examining how artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are reshaping biological risk and what preparedness requires in the Global South. The panel will explore where biological risks are concentrated, the capabilities of AI-enabled biological design, operational preparedness, and approaches to governance. Confirmed speakers include Alex Kyabarongo, BIOD MS student at George Mason University, along with Rahul Nagvekar of Stanford University’s Department of Genetics and Adam Abdullahi of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
After NSCEB: What Comes Next for U.S. Biotech Policy
Tuesday, November 17 | 2:00 – 6:00 pm ET
From the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB): “The Commission’s authority ends December 31. What it built is the beginning. Carrying it forward takes Congress, industry and capital. In April 2025, the Commission called for $15 billion over five years to secure American leadership in biotechnology. Join Commission leadership, members of Congress, founders and investors for an afternoon on who carries that work into 2027.”
Chief of Staff for the Responsible AIxBio Collaboration – Job Opening
From the R-ABC: “We are a new nonprofit working to make the world a safer place by reducing the misuse risk of AI-enabled biological tools. We do that by catalyzing and accelerating governance for AI x bio: bringing into being the standards and shared resources that don’t exist yet. Our stakeholders are the world-leading frontier companies, platforms, and research groups building AI for the life sciences. We work with them directly, not around them. R-ABC was founded in 2026 and is still small.”
Fellowship for Ending Bioweapons – Call for Applications
Monday, October 19
From the Council on Strategic Risks: “Whether biological threats arise naturally, by accident, or through a deliberate effort to weaponize pathogens, risks posed by biological threats are grave risks to international security and stability. The urgency for mitigating this area of catastrophic risks is driven home by the growing convergence of artificial intelligence and biological sciences, which may simplify pathways to the development of biological weapons and can spur the creation of novel pathogens.”
