The Pandora Report

This week’s Pandora Report includes alumni news, H5N1 updates, discussion of the new BIOTech Caucus, new publications, and more.

Biodefense PhD Alumna Named George Mason Senior VP and COO

Julie Zobel, an alumna of George Mason University’s Biodefense PhD Program, was recently named the university’s senior vice president and chief operating officer (COO) following a nationwide search. Joining George Mason in 2000, Zobel began as a health and safety engineer focused on chemical, biological, and radiation safety for George Mason’s instructional and research laboratories, serving in an escalating progression of leadership roles before becoming George Mason’s first chief risk officer in February 2024. Zobel provided operational stewardship of the university’s response to COVID-19, for which George Mason was recognized as a national leader in pandemic management. She also served as interim SVP beginning in August 2024 and was selected for this new role in April 2025 following a nationwide search.

Read more about her selection and experience here.

Updates on the Mess at HHS

World Leaders Pledge $9 Billion in Support to Gavi Following RFK Jr.’s Announcement of US Funding Withdrawal

Following the announcement that the US will halt its funding to Gavi, the vaccine alliance, world leaders at the Global Summit: Health & Prosperity through Immunisation pledged more than €7.7 billion (about $9 billion in USD) towards Gavi’s target budget of €10.2 billion (≈$12 billion) for 2026-2030. The summit also concluded with €3.8 billion (≈$4.5 billion) in complementary financing from development finance institutions, up to €170.6 million (≈$200 million) in cost savings for Gavi-supported programs announced by vaccine manufacturers, and other innovations and supply commitments that includes a €34.1 million (≈$40 million) anchor commitment towards a new Innovation Scale-Up Fund.

The summit saw a record number of new donors emerge to support Gavi’s next strategic cycle. Furthermore, some existing donors were unable to announce new commitments due to their own domestic budgetary cycles, demonstrating the broad base of support Gavi has in meeting its target budget. Furthermore, Gavi’s implementing countries are expected to invest a record €3.4 billion (≈$4 billion) towards their own immunization programs over the next five years.

President of the European Commission Usrula von der Leyen said in a statement, “Investing in health is investing in our shared future. Our work with Gavi saves lives. For over 20 years, we have stood side by side, with the European Union contributing over EUR 3.2 billion to vaccinate more than 1 billion children against deadly diseases. But millions still need this vital protection. Today, Team Europe is pledging more than EUR 2 billion. The EU remains committed to this mission so that children across the world are safer, healthier and stronger. This is global solidarity in action.”

Further Reading:

• “World Leaders Pledge $9 Billion to Support Gavi’s Vaccine Initiatives,” Jim Wappes, CIDRAP
• “Joint Press Release: World Leaders Recommit to Immunisation Amidst Global Funding Shortfall,” European Commission
• “US Makes Deadly Decision to Withdraw Funding for Gavi,” Médecins Sans Frontières
• “RFK Jr.’s Intellectually Dishonest Excuse for Defunding Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance,” Tom Frieden, STAT News
• “RFK Jr. Singled Out One Study to Cut Funds for Global Vaccines. Is That Study Valid?” Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR

ACIP Fallout Continues

Following June’s meeting of the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), public health experts continue to sound the alarm about both Secretary Kennedy’s replacement of the 17 sitting ACIP members and the outcomes of the recent meeting. They warn that ACIP’s decision to recommend only single-dose flu vaccines (the thimerosal-free presentations), and the promise to revisit the entire childhood vaccine schedule and certain other routine vaccines, were driven by politics rather than science. They further fear this will only further undermine public confidence in vaccines. Criticism of the platforming of anti-vaccine advocates like Lyn Redwood by ACIP has also continued.

Further Reading:

• “Vaccine, Public Health Advocates Warn of Fallout from ACIP Meeting,” Chris Dall, CIDRAP
• “Flawed ACIP Process Leads to Confusion and Distrust,” National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
• “ACIP’s Thimerosal Vote: The Committee Has Lost Its Value to Medicine,” Amesh Adalja, MedPage Today
• “Kennedy’s Vaccine Advisers Sow Doubts as Scientists Protest US Pivot on Shots,” Arthur Allen and Sam Whitehead, KFF Health News
• “Anti-Vaccine Activist Presents Data to Kennedy’s Reshaped CDC Advisory Panel,” Aria Bendix and Erika Edwards, NBC News
• “Gold Standard of Plagiarism: How a CDC Slide Deck Recycled Discredited CHD Claims,” InfoEpi Lab
• “Who is in Charge at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?” Melody Schreiber, The Guardian
• “Poll: Amid Multi-State Measles Outbreak, 79% of Americans Support Routine Childhood Vaccine Requirements,” Maya Brownstein, Harvard T.H. Chan SPH

CDC Grants Moving Behind Schedule

CDC has reportedly not yet received its full FY 2025 funding, operating instead with just 30-days worth of funding at a time. The impact of this has been severe, with potential to cause even greater damage soon. Because CDC does not have its funding, it is running behind on providing notices of awards to state and local health departments, agencies that overwhelmingly depend on federal funding and that use much of that funding to contract with local organizations. Many health departments have received no communication about why this process is delayed, making it risky for them to continue work without knowing they will be reimbursed for it. CDC staffers told NPR that the funding is now months late, and, if it is not dispersed soon, it will be too late to do so.

Prasad Overrode FDA Staff Experts on COVID-19 Vaccines

Vinay Prasad, Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research at FDA, rejected broad uses of the Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccine from Novavax and Moderna’s next generation mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for those 12 and older. Prasad cited unknown risks or injuries in doing so, despite assurances of their safety from dozens of FDA experts. In fact, documents (linked below) reveal that vaccine staff members at FDA had already signed off on approving both vaccines. Prasad overruled both recommendations, instead advising restricting the use of both vaccines. Prasad wrote in the memo about Nuvaxovid, “Even rare vaccination-related harms, both known and unknown, now have a higher chance of outweighing potential benefits in non-high-risk populations.”

Further Reading:

• Center Director Decisional Memo, NUVAXOVID, Vinayak Prasad
• Center Director Override Memo, MNEXSPIKE, Vinayak Prasad
• “Long COVID Rates Higher in Women: Evidence Grows,” Claire Sibonney, Medscape
• “‘It’s Not Over’: New Mexico Doctor Discusses the Lasting Effects of COVID-19,” Austin Fisher, Source NM
• “Quality of Life and Mental Health in Children with Long COVID,” Noij et al., Nature

RIP USAID, 1961-2025

The administration has officially dissolved the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), destroying an agency that for nearly 65 years served as a symbol of US generosity, leadership, and strength globally while advancing the national interests of the United States. USAID was established by President Kennedy in 1961 specifically to counter the USSR’s soft power globally. As a Congressional Research Service report explains, “USAID has sought to provide assistance to countries that the U.S. government has deemed to be strategically important and countries in conflict; lead U.S. efforts to alleviate poverty, disease, and humanitarian need abroad; and assist U.S. commercial interests by supporting developing countries’ economic growth and building countries’ capacity to participate in world trade.”

USAID did just that spectacularly, saving an estimated 91 million lives from 2001 to 2021 alone, 30 million of whom were children. The same analysis estimates that 14 million more will die in the next five years, 4-5 million of whom are expected to be children, and that was just if USAID cuts continued, not if the agency was completely shuttered. Despite this, the administration claims the agency “has little to show since the end of the Cold War.”

USAID’s work did not just save and improve lives in low- and middle-income countries. It directly improved the safety, security, and prosperity of the US itself. The Challenge Accepted report from 2022 detailed how USAID investments in resilience and adaptation were critical to preventing instability and conflict, and how they helped the US maintain a competitive edge against China. That report was signed by 79 national security leaders, including a former DNI, a former CIA director, and eight retired four-star officers. Furthermore, since 2006, the US has embraced the 3 Ds of national security–defense, diplomacy, and development. For many countries around the world, development is the most effective tool the US has in its toolbox, making USAID’s work vital to national security. The agency also helped cultivate goodwill towards the US around the world, something that takes a long time to build, a lot of effort to maintain, and is invaluable when conflicts do arise.

USAID did all of this on a comparatively small budget. While the agency’s budget fluctuated from year-to-year, it spent $21.7 billion in FY 2024. While USAID accounted for the majority of US foreign aid spending, that was still just .3% of federal spending in that fiscal year. Polling suggests that many in the US believe foreign aid accounts for around 25% of the federal budget, and many of those polled also said that number should be closer to 10%. When the government spent $71.9 billion total on foreign aid in FY 2023, that was still just 1.2% of that fiscal year’s budget. Of that, USAID received $40 billion in combined appropriations, less than 1% of the total federal budget. In fact, the average US taxpayer has contributed just 18¢ per day to USAID’s budget. In contrast, the average US taxpayer paid about $4.79 per day toward Pentagon contractors alone in 2023.

With more than 80% of USAID’s former programs terminated, most of its staff fired, and the Department of State now overseeing US foreign assistance, the future of US foreign aid is unclear at best. In a statement about USAID’s dissolution, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “Foreign assistance programs that align with administration policies — and which advance American interests — will be administered by the State Department, where they will be delivered with more accountability, strategy, and efficiency.”

Rubio further claimed the US is abandoning a “charity-based model” of foreign aid, saying “We will favor those nations that have demonstrated both the ability and willingness to help themselves and will target our resources to areas where they can have a multiplier effect and catalyze durable private sector, including American companies, and global investment.”

Further Reading:

• “USAID Cuts May Cause 14 Million More Deaths in Next Five Years, Study Says,” Kelsey Ables, The New York Times
• “Evaluating the Impact of Two Decades of USAID Interventions and Projecting the Effects of Defunding on Mortality Up to 2030: A Retrospective Impact Evaluation and Forecasting Analysis,” Cavalcanti et al., The Lancet
• “I Worked at U.S.A.I.D. for Over 8 Years. This is Our Biggest Failure,” William Herkewitz, The New York Times
• “In Sudan, Where Children Clung to Life, Doctors Say USAID Cuts Have Been Fatal,” Katharine Houreld and Hafiz Haroun, The Washington Post
• “Uniting Forces for Global Impact: How USAID’s Office of Civilian-Military Coordination Drives Development on the World Stage,” Maximillian Hauffe, U.S. Global Leadership Coalition
• “Bush, Obama — and Singer Bono — Fault Trump’s Gutting of USAID on Agency’s Last Day,” Ellen Knickmeyer, AP News
• “USAID at a Crossroads: Dr. Bronner’s Experience with the US Agency for International Development,” Dr. Bronner’s
• “Thank You, America: The Impact of USAID on My Life,” Anna Johns

Brain Drain, Global Decline, and Death: Further Reading on the Consequences of Cuts to US Science, Global Aid, and More

• “American Science to Soon Face Its Largest Brain Drain in History,” Ethan Siegel, Big Think
• “Europe, with Ambitions to Poach American Scientists, Faces Pressures of Its Own,” Andrew Joseph, STAT News
• “The Impact of NIH Cuts Ripples Beyond U.S. Borders,” Frieda Klotz, Undark
• “Turmoil at US Science Academy as Trump Cuts Force Layoffs,” Jeff Tollefson and Dan Garisto, Nature News
• “5 Ways Trump’s Megabill will Limit Health Care Access,” Galewitz et al., NPR
• “How to Wreck the Nation’s Health, by the Numbers,” Steven H. Woolf, The New York Times

Bird Flu Updates

By Margeaux Malone, Pandora Report Associate Editor

A Deep Dive into Bird Flu with Scientific American

Scientific American’s Science Quickly podcast released a compelling three-part series examining the H5N1 bird flu outbreak that continues to keep public health officials on their toes. The investigation traces the virus’s complex journey from wild birds to domestic poultry, dairy cattle, and ultimately humans.

The series begins on the beaches of Delaware Bay, where virus hunters from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital collect excrement from migrating shorebirds to monitor avian viruses. Part one explores the evolution of bird flu over the last few decades, tracing how H5N1 transformed from isolated outbreaks, like the 1997 Hong Kong incident that killed six people, into today’s globally circulating pathogen.

Part two shifts the focus to dairy farms, revealing how cattle became unexpected intermediaries of bird flu virus transmission. After Texas farmers noticed lethargic cows producing discolored milk, genetic analysis revealed H5N1 contamination, a shocking development that caught the dairy industry unprepared.

The final installment takes listeners inside a high-security BSL-3 laboratory in San Antonio where scientists are developing vaccine candidates against potential pandemic flu strains. The series offers engaging insights into the history of bird flu and why it poses such a potential risk to humans, concluding with the unsettling question of whether we’re sufficiently prepared if an influenza pandemic comes home to roost.

Further Listening:

• “How Bird Flu Became a Human Pandemic Threat (Part 1),” Science Quickly, Scientific American
• “Why Dairy Farmers Were Surprised by Bird Flu Cases in Their Herds (Part 2),” Science Quickly, Scientific American
• “This is How We Fight Bird Flu If H5N1 Becomes the Next Human Pandemic (Part 3),” Science Quickly, Scientific American

Feline Avian Flu Cases Highlight Surveillance Gaps

Since December 2022, USDA has confirmed over 130 feline cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 across the United States affecting barn and feral cats, big cats in zoos and in the wild, and pet cats living exclusively indoors. Although cats are typically dead-end hosts for the virus, there are rising concerns that they may serve as a bridge for zoonotic spillover of H5N1 to humans or allow for the emergence of mutated strains capable of spreading from cat-to-cat. In fact, such a situation occurred in a New York City shelter in 2016 with a strain of low pathogenic avian influenza H7N2, marking the first documented cat-to-human transmission of influenza A virus infection. Experts like Dr. Meghan Davis from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health advocate for more active testing and surveillance of HPAI in domestic species to mitigate pandemic risk, particularly in farm and shelter environments where epidemiological data is in short supply. However, such recommendations raise pressing questions about who would pay for these programs. Currently, the government does not reimburse veterinarians for H5N1 testing in cats, and the volume of tests and man-hours needed for active surveillance would be significant.

Further Reading:

• “Feline avian influenza cases spark concerns,” R. Scott Nolen, AVMA News
• “Herding cats: It’s past time to include pets in disease surveillance,” Meghan F. Davis, Ellen P. Carlin, Erin M. Sorrell, and David Stiefel, STAT News

Representatives form Bipartisan BIOTech Caucus

Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Stephanie Bice (R-OK) recently announced the formation of the bipartisan BIOTech Caucus. The mission of this caucus is to “…advance bipartisan policy solutions to keep the United States at the forefront of global biotechnology leadership, to engage and learn from sector leaders, and to build awareness and bioliteracy among Members of Congress.”

Houlahan and Bice will serve as co-chairs and be joined by Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) and Pete Sessions (R-TX). According to the press release about this from Houlahan’s office, “The Caucus recognizes the strategic economic and national security imperatives of federal policy investments in emerging biotechnology. The Caucus’ founding comes after the release of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB)’s comprehensive report to Congress in April of this year. The NSCEB report showed that China is surging ahead in key areas of emerging biotechnology, and Congress must act now to ensure the United States regains and retains its competitive edge. Failure to respond urgently to this and other national vulnerabilities risks the United States falling dangerously, and potentially irrecoverably, behind. Ceding biotechnology leadership will also cripple the robust industry job growth in America. On a national scale, the bioscience industry had a $2.9 trillion impact on the economy in 2021, supporting 2.1 million jobs.”

“The Mpox Response: African Leadership, Global Responsibility”

This editorial from The Lancet emphasizes the critical role African institutions are playing in responding to mpox outbreaks on the continent. It explains that a continent-wide Incident Management Support Team is being led by both Africa CDC and the WHO’s Regional Office for Africa and is coordinating vaccine deployment, surveillance, testing, and infection control efforts, However, these efforts are being made under very challenging conditions, which includes overlapping outbreaks of different mpox variants, the cholera epidemic, widespread poverty, and ongoing conflicts (particularly in the DRC).

The editorial criticizes the global response to mpox in Africa despite these efforts, arguing that they are insufficient and marked by complacency, and that a similar situation in high-income countries would likely instill much more urgency globally. It argues that this situation is a test of lessons learned in responding to COVID-19 and whether or not the world can now meaningfully cooperate in response to this kind of emergency. Thus, while public health institutions in Africa have demonstrated their capacity to lead well, sustained international support is still lacking. The editorial calls for the WHO Pandemic Agreement to be strengthened so it can deliver on its promises and ensure that improved global health cooperation comes to fruition.

“Advancing the Global Agenda for Pandemic Risk Assessment (June 2025)”

From the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response: “On 20 May 2025, The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response hosted a roundtable titled ‘Advancing the Global Agenda for Pandemic Risk Assessment’, co-sponsored by the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations Office at Geneva. This report provides the context and summarises the themes, ideas and questions emerging from an open discussion on the concept of a multisectoral scientific synthesis to inform pandemic risk priorities and investments.”

“Data and AI-Enabled Biological Design: Risks Related to Biological Training Data and Opportunities for Governance”

From the RAND Corporation: “Artificial intelligence models trained on large volumes of biological data (AI-bio models) have demonstrated the growing abilities to support of basic scientific research goals. But some AI-bio models may be dual use, providing both beneficial capabilities and potentially dangerous ones. A nefarious actor with access to a frontier AI-bio model might be able to use it to design a pathogen with harmful phenotypic characteristics that enhance transmissibility. But model capabilities are closely linked to the data used to train them, and much less attention has been devoted to the relationship between dangerous capabilities and biological training data. The data that are included (or excluded) in model training heavily influences the models’ capabilities and limitations. Governance of data used to train AI-bio models could be a useful way to allow beneficial scientific research while safeguarding against potentially dangerous capabilities.”

“The authors of this paper assess current knowledge about the link between biological data and AI-bio model capabilities, describe the anticipated impacts of new biological data sources, and outline potentially dangerous capabilities that could come from broad availability of certain types of biological data. They then recommend strategies to limit the potentially dangerous capabilities arising from biological data, including options for governance of experiments and data creation, governance of curation and aggregations of data, controls on access to collections of data, and governance of the use of data for model training.”

“Hospital Attacks in Gaza and Israel: What Counts as a War Crime?”

Leonard S. Rubenstein and Feroze Sidhwa published this article in Think Global Health, in which they open with discussion of an Iranian missile hitting Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, Israel, and the Israeli Air Force bombing Farabi Medical Center in Kermanshah, Iran. They build off of Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz’s statement calling Iran’s strike a war crime, writing in part, “Whether the attacks on Soroka and Farabi were war crimes is ultimately a question for investigators. But Katz’s point is correct: Attacks on hospitals, which are subject to special protections under international humanitarian law, are war crimes of the most serious kind.”

“That is why we—along with American and British health-care workers who’ve worked in Gaza, American senators and representatives [PDF], lawyers and civil servants [PDF] in the Joe Biden administration and the UK, UN experts, and Holocaust and genocide scholars—have been begging the United States to stop providing the weapons Israel has used not just to attack one hospital in Gaza but to demolish the strip’s entire health-care system. Indeed, over the past 20 months Israel, fully backed by the United States, has abandoned any pretense of respecting the protections enjoyed by hospitals under international law.”

Biodefense in Crisis: Danger and Opportunity

“This Commission meeting, Biodefense in Crisis: Danger and Opportunity, will be held on July 22, 2025. As a new Administration begins to develop its policy priorities and realigns federal offices and programs, the government must maintain and strengthen federal capabilities to address the biological threat. The focus of this meeting will be to provide the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense with a better understanding of (1) core requirements for effective national biodefense; (2) Administration biodefense priorities; (3) impacts of department and agency realignment; and (4) strategies for addressing future biological threats. More information will be provided as the event date approaches.”

This event will take place on July 22, 10 am-4 pm ET in Washington, DC. Register here.

SBA.4 International Synthetic Biology and Biosecurity Conference in Africa

From SynBio Africa: “The SBA 4.0 conference will serve as a platform for fostering connections among industry, academia, community groups, and policymakers. It will showcase innovative applications of synthetic biology and AI, and highlight ongoing efforts in biomathematics, biomanufacturing, one-health, biosafety and biosecurity. It will also facilitate networking and information exchange. Key focus areas include tackling agriculture, health, environmental management, and industry challenges. In Africa, synthetic biology is poised to drive the national development agenda by promoting a sustainable bioeconomy, supporting health and agricultural systems, and aiding environmental conservation and restoration. This event will provide a vital opportunity for stakeholders to discuss and strategize the integration of synthetic biology innovations, address policy, legal frameworks, and communicate the benefits of the technology.”

This conference will take place July 23-25 in Kigali. Learn more and 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.

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.

Request for Proposals: Biosafety and Biosecurity Capacity Strengthening in Support of the 100 Days Mission

From CEPI: “This Request for Proposals (RfP) will support the establishment of a group of implementation partners to enable successful implementation of CEPI’s Biosecurity Strategy, focused on objectives associated with capacity strengthening, equity, and health-security partnerships, as described in CEPI’s Biosecurity Strategy Implementation Plan. The selected applicants will sign a Framework Agreement under which CEPI can make “call-offs”, i.e. requests for services, related to specific tasks. At CEPI’s direction, services rendered under this Framework Agreement may be provided to CEPI internally, or to a partner organization (e.g. partner countries, affiliates within CEPI’s laboratory and manufacturing networks particularly in the Global South, international organisations, etc.); such partners may govern aspects of the content of the work, but the legal agreement remains with CEPI.”

Learn more and submit proposals by July 30 here.

Call for Applications: Mid-Career Biodefense Bootcamp Fellowship (2025)
“…the Council on Strategic Risks (CSR) is continuing to develop and cultivate creative solutions to help address biological threats, including a particular focus on reducing risks of the deliberate misuse of infectious diseases and other biological materials, processes, and products. As part of this work, CSR is announcing an open call for applications for our new Mid-Career Biodefense Bootcamp Fellowship, which follows an early-2024 beta run of the program.”

“In this “bootcamp” fellowship, successful applicants will learn from leading experts committed to biological threat reduction and biosecurity, including current and former government officials who helped dismantle Cold War-era biological weapons capabilities, advance international biological cooperation, and drive policy progress. They will interact with leading current and former experts as well as public and private sector innovators.”

Learn more and apply by July 7 here.

This edition of the Pandora Report provides update on this week’s meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Secretary Kennedy’s announcement that the US will withdraw its funding to Gavi, and more.

Newly-Appointed ACIP Member Withdraws, Citing Conflicts of Interest

Michael Ross, one of eight people appointed to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has reportedly already removed himself from the body following a conflict of interest review. Ross notably also claimed to be a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at both George Washington University and Virginia Commonwealth University, though NBC’s affiliate News 4 Washington found he had not worked at either institution in years.

An HHS spokesperson said of Ross’ departure, “Yesterday, Dr Michael Ross decided to withdraw from serving on ACIP during the financial holdings review.” In his announcement of the removal of all 17 members who previously sat on ACIP, Sec. Kennedy specifically cited conflicts of interest as a key motivation behind his decision to overhaul the body. Notably, other conflicts of interests new ACIP members have, such as leadership positions with anti-vaccine organizations or having been paid expert witnesses against pharmaceutical companies, were not disclosed during the conflict of interest review process.

Further Reading:

• “Vaccine Panel Gutted by Kennedy Loses a Member Ahead of First Meeting,” Apoorva Mandavilli, The New York Times

ACIP Holds First Meeting Since Overhaul

This week, ACIP held its first meeting since Sec. Kennedy dismissed all 17 previous members from the body, stirring up yet more controversy along the way. The controversy began before the meeting was even held on Wednesday when a presentation set to be shared at the meeting was found to cite non-existent studies. The presentation was given to ACIP on the second day of the meeting by Lyn Redwood, president emerita of Children’s Health Defense (the anti-vaccine group RFK Jr. founded), and claimed that the non-existent study found that use of thimerosal in vaccines can have “long-term consequences in the brain.” The presentations reportedly bypassed normal review processes. Interestingly, Redwood is set to be hired to work in CDC’s Immunization Safety Office.

Thimerosal is a preservative that has been used in vaccines since the 1930s, and it is especially useful for its antimicrobial properties, which has allowed it to make multi-dose vaccine vials safer. This is important because thimerosal, by preventing harmful microbe growth inside multi-dose vials, means immunization campaigns can be more effective by delivering more usable, safer product to communities that need it. Use of thimerosal in FDA-licensed vaccines has declined broadly in large part because of reformulation and development of vaccines presented in single-dose containers. 

Notably, thimerosal was removed from childhood vaccines in the US in 2001. This was a precautionary measure aimed at growing public trust in vaccines, with there being no evidence of harm caused by the small amount used in some vaccines apart from minor reactions at the injection site. Today, only a handful of vaccines contain thimerosal, including some influenza vaccines (again, specifically multi-dose presentations). Furthermore, the mercury in thimerosal is metabolized or degraded to ethylmercury, which does not accumulate in the body. This is in contrast to methylmercury, which is naturally occurring in different animals (including certain fish like tuna, swordfish, and king mackerel), does accumulate in the body, and is toxic at high levels.

Redwood repeatedly made false or misleading claims during her presentation, including claiming at one point that ethylmercury has a greater potential to be maintained in the brain than methylmercury, which is false. She also emphasized the lack of studies on thimerosal toxicity in humans, demonstrating apparent ignorance of how vaccine safety is evaluated. Thimerosal is just one component of some vaccines. Therefore, relevant studies aim to determine whether vaccines that contain thimerosal are safe, which has been well established in the literature.

However, this was just one part of the ACIP meeting. The meeting was riddled with inaccuracies, apparent mis- or lack of understandings of how vaccines are produced, and arguments or statements that lacked necessary context. Martin Kulldorff, who was appointed ACIP chair, was incorrectly listed as having an MD on the slide deck (Kulldorff holds a PhD) and made multiple misleading comments about MMR/MMRV vaccines, hepatitis B birth doses, and test-negative designs for COVID-19 vaccines. Restef Levi made inaccurate statements about COVID-19 vaccines and spike proteins while also implying that COVID-19 vaccination makes people more likely to need hospitalization if infected. Robert Malone claimed that certain COVID-19 vaccine lots cause more adverse events. Vicky Pebsworth expressed concern about high numbers of VAERS reports for COVID-19 vaccines, seemingly ignoring the higher number of COVID-19 vaccines given in comparison to any other vaccine during the same period of time and other issues. The list goes on and on, with experts with The Evidence Collective documenting 50 falsehoods shared over the course of the meeting.

Ultimately, ACIP did maintain the general flu vaccine recommendation for those over six months old. It did pass three motions recommending single-use vials only for all adults, children 18 years and younger, and pregnant women for flu vaccines. ACIP did also vote to recommend the RSV shot. Specifically, Clesrovimab is a monoclonal antibody created by Merck, and it is recommended for use in infants younger than eight months who are born during or entering their first RSV season. Both Kulldorff and Malone have been paid to serve as expert witnesses in civil litigation against Merck, which they did not disclose during the conflict of interest review. Furthermore, members who voted against recommending this treatment (Levi and Pebsworth) later voted for its inclusion in the Vaccines for Children program.

Amid concerns about what this new version of ACIP might do, professional medical societies, vaccine manufacturers, state health officials, and many others are working to do what they can to protect access to vaccines. Some are discussing the possibility of ordering vaccines directly from manufacturers, ways to give greater weight to vaccine recommendations that come from medical associations, and asking insurance companies to continue providing coverage based on those associations’ recommendations, rather than those of ACIP. Others are looking to create alternative bodies to provide sources of unbiased information it seems ACIP no longer can provide. One such group is the Vaccine Integrity Project, launched by Michael Osterholm at the University of Minnesota’s CIDRAP.

Meanwhile, representatives of the American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) refused to participate in the ACIP meeting, saying it was “illegitimate.” AAP President Susan J. Kressly, MD, FAAP, said that the creation of federal immunization policy is “no longer a credible process,” and that “We won’t lend our name or our expertise to a system that is being politicized at the expense of children’s health. But we’re not stepping back, we’re stepping up. The AAP will continue to publish our own immunization schedule just as we always have, developed by experts, guided by science, trusted by pediatricians and families across the country.”

While the votes taken by ACIP this week did not end as poorly as they could have, the future of this body is grim, especially as vaccination rates already are lagging and pandemic preparedness continues to erode under the current administration. Predictably, much of the commentary and other content at this meeting did lend credibility to debunked claims about vaccines, their production, and their development.

Further Reading:

• “Vaccine Policy Meeting: The Essentials,” Katelyn Jetelina, Your Local Epidemiologist
• “Six Former CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee Chairs Warn: U.S. Risks Losing Access to Life-Saving Immunizations,” Grace Lee, Nancy Bennett, Jonathan Temte, Carol Baker, Myron Levin, and José Romero, STAT News
• “AAP Will Continue to Publish Its Own Vaccine Recommendations After CDC Advisers Sow Distrust,” American Academy of Pediatrics
• “4 in 5 Americans Support Childhood Vaccine Requirements, Poll Finds,” Jim Wappes, CIDRAP
• “The Good News (154 Million Deaths Avoided) and Bad News About Childhood Vaccines,” Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR
• “Childhood Vaccination Coverage was Falling Across the Globe Even Before Covid,” Veronica Paulus, STAT News
• “The World’s Only Twice-a-Year Shot to Prevent HIV Could Stop Transmission — If People Can Get It,” Lauren Neergaard, AP News

US to Withdraw Its Funding for GAVI

In remarks made to a Gavi pledging summit in Brussels, Secretary Kennedy announced that the US will halt all contributions made to the organization, claiming that is has “ignored the science” in its work to vaccinate children globally. Kennedy further accused Gavi’s leadership of being selective in their use of science in choosing vaccines, and that “When vaccine safety issues have come before Gavi, Gavi has treated them not as a patient health problem, but as a public relations problem.” Kennedy neglected to provide evidence or examples for these claims.

Kennedy says that the US will not provide the $1.2 billion it has pledged to Gavi unless the organization changes its practices. Gavi issued a statement rejecting Kennedy’s claims. While the organization will not implode without US funding, there are concerns about Gavi’s ability to maintain its operations at their current scale. Fewer vaccines in low- and middle-income countries will impact everyone, including the United States, especially as the US withdraws so much of its other commitments to global health and international aid.

Further Reading:

• “The Costs to Global Health,” Carrie Arnold, Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health
• “Missteps, Confusion and ‘Viral Waste’: The 14 Days That Doomed U.S.A.I.D.,” Christopher Flavelle, Nicholas Nehamas, and Julie Tate, The New York Times
• “What Remains of U.S.A.I.D.?,” Amy Schoenfeld Walker, Malika Khurana, and Christine Zhang, The New York Times

“Assessing Readiness of International Investigations into Alleged Biological Weapons Use”

Brackmann et al. published this article in Emerging Infectious Diseases: “Without clarity if an outbreak is natural, accidental, or deliberate, infectious disease outbreaks of unknown or ambiguous origin can lead to speculation of a purposeful biological attack. Outbreaks in conflict settings are particularly prone to suspicions and allegations. In an increasingly confrontative global geopolitical landscape and with active information manipulation, outbreaks of ambiguous origin are likely to increase concerns of the deliberate use of biological agents. The United Nations General Assembly has agreed on and the United Nations Security Council has endorsed a mechanism to investigate allegations of deliberate use titled the United Nations Secretary-General’s Mechanism for Investigation of Alleged Use of Chemical or Biological Weapons. A recent full-scale field exercise evaluated the deployment readiness of the mechanism and found it is well placed to investigate suspicious disease outbreaks, with room for continual improvement.”

“Dismantling CDC’s Global Work is Dismantling Our First Line of Biodefense”

Stephanie Psaki and Nikki Romanik authored this Just Security article, in which they write, “Over the last few months, the Trump administration has weakened or eliminated the layers of the U.S. biodefense system – dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development’s programs around the world, eroding the National Security Council’s real-time coordination capability during threats, eliminating the White House pandemic office, and most recently, cancelling proactive investments in safeguards like pandemic influenza vaccines. Amid those changes, one of our strongest defenses against biological threats abroad has been the enduring partnerships and systems maintained by the CDC. However, with the release of President Trump’s budget request earlier this month, the administration signaled an intent to weaken — if not entirely dismantle — this critical safeguard that allows the U.S. to detect outbreaks at their source, leaving Americans and the world more vulnerable to biological threats.”

“Health Emergency Research Preparedness: An Analysis of National Pre‑COVID Research Activity and COVID Research Output”

Peter H. Kilmarx and Shirley Kyere published this article in Annals of Global Health: “Background: Research capacity is a critical element of health emergency preparedness, but metrics are not readily available for many countries. The COVID‑19 pandemic provided an opportunity to use publicly available data to assess correlations between national pre‑pandemic research activity, pandemic research response, and other national socioeconomic characteristics.”

“Methods: National pre‑pandemic (2018–19) research activity was defined as the average of percentile rankings of (1) the average annual number of health science publications in Scopus and (2) the average annual number of clinical trials in the International Clinical Trials Research Platform (ICTRP). National pandemic research response (2020–21) was defined as the average of percentile rankings of (1) average annual number of COVID‑19‑related publications in Scopus and (2) average annual number of COVID‑19‑related clinical trials in ICTRP.”

“Findings: During 2018–19, the median (interquartile range [IQR]) of national annual average health science publications was 415 (108–3,398) and of clinical trials was 21 (4–273). During 2020–21, the median (IQR) of national annual average COVID‑19‑related publications was 85 (18–798) and that of COVID‑19‑related clinical trials was 1.5 (0–11). National COVID‑19‑related research output was strongly correlated with pre‑pandemic research activity (R‑squared 0.89) and much less correlated with Human Development Index (0.26), COVID‑19 case number (0.16), case rate (0.14), gross domestic product (0.11), or population (0.10). In a multivariable linear regression analysis, national pre‑COVID‑19 research activity was the only factor with substantial or statistically significant contribution to explaining variations in COVID‑19‑related research output.”

“Interpretation: National pandemic research responses were most strongly correlated with pre‑pandemic research activity, much more so than with other country characteristics. These findings strongly support global efforts to strengthen research capacity as a critical element of preparedness for health emergencies.”

“Behind Shuttered Borders: A view into North Korea’s COVID-19 experiences”

Victor Cha, Katrin Fraser Katz, and Seiyeon Ji recently published this CSIS report: “This report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, in cooperation with the George W. Bush Institute, is to our knowledge the first published review of human rights abuses inside North Korea associated with the Covid-19 global pandemic. Between January 2020 and August 2023, the regime imposed one of the world’s most extreme lockdowns—sealing its borders and halting all exchanges related to trade, tourism, diplomacy, and humanitarian aid, and enforcing rigid internal travel restrictions—under the guise of “anti-epidemic” measures. With no independent reporting possible during this period, the regime claimed a flawless record, denying any Covid-19 cases for the first two years and reporting only 74 deaths when it finally acknowledged an outbreak in May 2022.”

“This report is based on the voices of 100 ordinary North Korean residents amplified through micro-surveys conducted in the second half of 2023, just as the country’s lockdown restrictions and border controls were lifted. While the report’s findings should not be interpreted as a complete representation of views in North Korea, they still provide rare insights into the lived experiences of ordinary North Koreans and expose key patterns of government culpability and negligence in managing the pandemic. Drawing on these findings, the authors discuss policy implications and offer recommendations for governments and international organizations seeking to improve the welfare of the North Korean people.”

“5 Years Later: America Looks Back at the Impact of COVID-19”

From Pew: “The most significant pandemic of our lifetime arrived as the United States was experiencing three major societal trends: a growing divide between partisans of the left and right, decreasing trust in many institutions, and a massive splintering of the information environment. COVID-19 did not cause any of this, but these forces fueled the country’s divided response. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in October 2024 found that nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults (72%) say the pandemic did more to drive the country apart than to bring it together. Fundamental differences arose between Americans over what we expect from our government, how much tolerance we have for health risks, and which groups and sectors to prioritize in a pandemic. Many of these divides continue to play out in the nation’s politics today.”

Read more here.

“Fostering Better Science by Releasing Biomedical Research and Innovation from the Grip of Rich Nations”

Nathalie J. Arhel recently published this opinion piece in PLOS Global Public Health, in which she discusses efforts to decolonize biomedical research and how they can reinforce existing inequities, and paths toward inclusive and equitable governance of biomedical research. She writes in her introduction, “In early 2025, the new US administration took unprecedented actions to axe funding to federal science and agencies and suspend foreign aid programs. Beyond the evident toll on global health – such as the closure of clinics that support vulnerable communities and interruptions in epidemiological surveillance – the erosion of US foreign aid presents a potential opportunity to redress long-standing inequities in biomedical research. The call for change is not new: the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerabilities of global health systems, highlighting the importance of national and regional self-sufficiency in research and innovation. Moreover, there is a growing acknowledgement of the need to dismantle systemic power imbalances and confront historical injustices…By addressing the inequities in biomedical research and considering how these can be redressed, this opinion piece aims to contribute to a broader effort to centre marginalized voices and knowledge systems.”

ICYMI: Paris Conference on Risks from Mirror Life

“This Conference is the first in a series of international meetings that will bring together a wide range of stakeholders to discuss and address the feasibility and risks of efforts to develop mirror life. The Conference will commence on 12th June with a publicly-streamed Symposium sharing the state of scientific understanding on these topics with a broad audience. On 13th June, a series of expert workshops will be held to begin addressing outstanding questions.”

Watch the event recording here, and read about the conference here.

NEW: Synthetic Biology for Biomanufacturing and Predictable Engineering

From NASEM: “Advances in biotechnology and biomanufacturing are essential for the United States to maintain global leadership as well as for supporting economic and national security interests. Biology provides the basis for innovations from medicine, health, and agriculture, to defense, energy, and manufacturing.”

“Join the National Academies on July 1 from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM ET for a workshop session that will explore innovations in biomanufacturing technologies that can make scale-up predictable, rapid, and cost-competitive. Participants will discuss the need for public-private collaborations to drive sustained improvements in biomanufacturing, while also looking at ways to make biotechnology predictably engineerable with emerging technologies such as synthetic cells and AI/machine learning integrations.”

Learn more and register here.

NEW: 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.

International Pandemic Sciences Conference

“Representatives from academia, industry, civil society and policy are invited to gather in Oxford, UK, and online from 30 June – 1 July 2025 for the International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025.”

“This year’s conference theme, Getting Ahead of the Curve, will explore how we can work together to predict, identify and control epidemic and pandemic threats globally. ”

“Over two days of plenary, parallel and networking sessions, stakeholders from different sectors and communities will have the opportunity to share ideas, experiences and strategies on prediction, early detection and control of pandemic threats. ”

“The International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025 is hosted by the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford.”

Learn more here.

Biodefense in Crisis: Danger and Opportunity

“This Commission meeting, Biodefense in Crisis: Danger and Opportunity, will be held on July 22, 2025. As a new Administration begins to develop its policy priorities and realigns federal offices and programs, the government must maintain and strengthen federal capabilities to address the biological threat. The focus of this meeting will be to provide the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense with a better understanding of (1) core requirements for effective national biodefense; (2) Administration biodefense priorities; (3) impacts of department and agency realignment; and (4) strategies for addressing future biological threats. More information will be provided as the event date approaches.”

This event will take place on July 22, 10 am-4 pm ET in Washington, DC. Register here.

SBA.4 International Synthetic Biology and Biosecurity Conference in Africa

From SynBio Africa: “The SBA 4.0 conference will serve as a platform for fostering connections among industry, academia, community groups, and policymakers. It will showcase innovative applications of synthetic biology and AI, and highlight ongoing efforts in biomathematics, biomanufacturing, one-health, biosafety and biosecurity. It will also facilitate networking and information exchange. Key focus areas include tackling agriculture, health, environmental management, and industry challenges. In Africa, synthetic biology is poised to drive the national development agenda by promoting a sustainable bioeconomy, supporting health and agricultural systems, and aiding environmental conservation and restoration. This event will provide a vital opportunity for stakeholders to discuss and strategize the integration of synthetic biology innovations, address policy, legal frameworks, and communicate the benefits of the technology.”

This conference will take place July 23-25 in Kigali. Learn more and register here.

CTD-SPECTRE 2nd Annual Symposium 

“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.”

Learn more and register 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.

Request for Proposals: Biosafety and Biosecurity Capacity Strengthening in Support of the 100 Days Mission

From CEPI: “This Request for Proposals (RfP) will support the establishment of a group of implementation partners to enable successful implementation of CEPI’s Biosecurity Strategy, focused on objectives associated with capacity strengthening, equity, and health-security partnerships, as described in CEPI’s Biosecurity Strategy Implementation Plan. The selected applicants will sign a Framework Agreement under which CEPI can make “call-offs”, i.e. requests for services, related to specific tasks. At CEPI’s direction, services rendered under this Framework Agreement may be provided to CEPI internally, or to a partner organization (e.g. partner countries, affiliates within CEPI’s laboratory and manufacturing networks particularly in the Global South, international organisations, etc.); such partners may govern aspects of the content of the work, but the legal agreement remains with CEPI.”

Learn more and submit proposals by July 30 here.

Call for Applications: Mid-Career Biodefense Bootcamp Fellowship (2025)
“…the Council on Strategic Risks (CSR) is continuing to develop and cultivate creative solutions to help address biological threats, including a particular focus on reducing risks of the deliberate misuse of infectious diseases and other biological materials, processes, and products. As part of this work, CSR is announcing an open call for applications for our new Mid-Career Biodefense Bootcamp Fellowship, which follows an early-2024 beta run of the program.”

“In this “bootcamp” fellowship, successful applicants will learn from leading experts committed to biological threat reduction and biosecurity, including current and former government officials who helped dismantle Cold War-era biological weapons capabilities, advance international biological cooperation, and drive policy progress. They will interact with leading current and former experts as well as public and private sector innovators.”

Learn more and apply by July 7 here.

This week’s Pandora Report discusses updates from the Schar School, the Geneva Protocol’s 100th anniversary, federal rulings against HHS to terminate employees and funding, and more.

Schar School Hosts Counterterrorism Summit 2025

George Mason’s Schar School of Policy and Government recently hosted this year’s Counterterrorism Summit at its campus in Arlington, VA. This conference was organized by Schar School associate professor Mahmut Cengiz, who is also the PI of the Global Terrorism Trends and Analysis Center at GMU’s Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center. The event brought together an international array of experts to probe the threats the world faces, to illuminate the weapons needed to combat terrorism, and, perhaps most crucially, to hear the stories that make the effort to thwart terrorism so crucial. It also included panels hosted by different Schar School faculty members, including Cengiz and Gregory Koblentz, director of the Biodefense Graduate Program.

Read more about this conference here.

The Geneva Protocol Turns 100

This week marked the 100th anniversary of the Geneva Protocol, a landmark treaty that banned the use of chemical and biological weapons in warfare. Signed in the aftermath of World War I, the Protocol was a pivotal step in the global effort to prevent the horrors of chemical warfare from recurring. Over the past century, it has served as a foundation for further arms control agreements and remains a symbol of the international community’s enduring commitment to preventing the use of these weapons.

Further Reading:

• “Commemorating a Century of the Geneva Protocol: OPCW Statement on 100 Years of Chemical and Biological Arms Control,” Amb. Fernando Arias, OPCW
• Statement from UNODA High Representative Izumi Nakamitsu on the 100th Anniversary of the Geneva Protocol
• “Comment of the MFA on the 100th Anniversary of the Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

DHS Proposes Dissolving Office for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction

In an overhaul that is laid out in the FY 2026 Congressional Budget Justification, the Department of Homeland Security is proposing disbanding and redistributing its Office for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD). This comes after heavy attrition in the office earlier this year due to concerns about uncertainty of the office’s future. No funds have been requested for FY 2026 for CWMD, and its policy, coordination, and oversight roles are set to be redistributed. Several key functions and organizations under CWMD will be transferred to other parts of DHS. For example, the National Biosurveillance Integration Center will be moved to the Office of Health Security, and several operational programs, including BioWatch, will be moved to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s Infrastructure Security Division. As Global Biodefense notes, these efforts are an attempt to embed CBRNE responsibilities into operational missions, but it comes after years of instability that started under the first Trump administration. This move will also end centralized oversight for this area within DHS, potentially harming DHS’ ability to respond to WMD threats while also risking redundant efforts and challenges in prioritization.

HHS Updates

NIH Releases Notice Terminating or Suspending “Dangerous” GoF Research

The National Institutes of Health has released a notice informing the biomedical research community that, in accordance with a previous Executive Order, the organization will “Terminate funding and other support for projects, including unfunded collaborations/projects, meeting the definition of dangerous gain-of-function research conducted by foreign entities in countries of concern or foreign countries where there is not adequate oversight; and Suspend all other funding and other support for projects, including unfunded collaborations/projects, meeting the definition of dangerous gain-of-function research at least until implementation of the new policy described in Section 4(a) of the Executive Order.”

According to the notice, NIH not accept requests for exceptions to this action if it is determined that the requested exception meets the EO’s definition of dangerous gain-of-function research. NIH will also require all awardees to review ongoing research activities to identify any NIH funding and support for projects that meet this definition that has not yet been identified by NIH. Researchers will be required to notify NIH of any such work by June 30, 2025.

NIH Ordered to Restore Funding for Research Focused on Minority and LGBTQ+ People

A Reagan-appointed federal judge ordered the NIH to immediately restore research funds that were terminated by NIH for research focused on racial minorities and LGBTQ+ people. The judge, Thomas Young, accused the administration of “appalling” and “palpably clear” discrimination against these groups, stating “I’ve never seen a record where racial discrimination was so palpable. I’ve sat on this bench now for 40 years. I’ve never seen government racial discrimination like this.”

Young further explained that, “I am hesitant to draw this conclusion — but I have an unflinching obligation to draw it — that this represents racial discrimination and discrimination against America’s LGBTQ+ community. That’s what it is. I would be bling not to call it out. My duty is to call it out.”

Young explained that, while he is uncertain that he has the ability to block the related Executive Orders themselves, that the NIH cuts are illegal and void. An appeal is expected.

Further Reading:

• “Cutting the NIH–The $8 Trillion Health Care Catastrophe,” David M. Cutler and Edward Glaeser, JAMA Health Forum
• “Researchers Warn U.S. is on the ‘Precipice’ of Brain Drain as Trump Cuts Federal Grants,” Laura Santhanam, PBS News
• “Via the False Claims Act, NIH Puts Universities on Edge,” Sara Talpos, Undark
• “In Fight Over Research Overhead Funding, Universities Propose Alternatives to Trump’s Cuts,” Jonathan Wosen, STAT News

CDC Official Who Oversaw COVID-19 Hospitalization Data Resigns

Fiona Havers, MD, MHS, FIDS, who worked within CDC’s Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division and oversaw the Respiratory Virus Hospitalization Surveillance Network (RESP-NET), has resigned from the agency, citing a lack of confidence that the data she oversaw will be used appropriately. RESP-NET’s analysis has previously factored into the CDC Advisory Committee of Immunization Practices’ decision making. In an email sent to colleagues, she wrote, “I no longer have confidence that these data will be used objectively or evaluated with appropriate scientific rigor to make evidence-based vaccine policy decisions.

Further Reading:

• “Why a Vaccine Expert Left the C.D.C.: ‘Americans Are Going to Die,'” Apoorva Mandavilli, The New York Times
• “‘We Are Less Safe, Plain and Simple’ Former CDC Director Tom Frieden on the Trump Administration’s Relentless Attack on Public Health,” Benjamin Hart, New York Magazine

White House, OMB Propose 54% Cut to CDC Budget in FY 2026

The FY2026 budget proposal includes a proposed reduction of CDC’s funding from $9.3 billion (combined with ASTDR, for which the CDC handles most administrative functions) down to $4.3 billion. This would include a $1.4 billion cut to chronic disease prevention, $794 million in cuts to HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, STD, & TB prevention, and $371 million in cuts to global health. Of those programs that would be eliminated, relatively few of them are expected to be moved to the Administration for a Healthy America or the HHS Office of the Secretary. Under this proposal, 36% of CDC’s existing programs will be eliminated.

Read the CDC Data Project’s break down of the proposed cuts here.

Further Reading:

• “Strengthening Biosecurity Efforts Without the Federal Government,” Farah Sonde, Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation
• “CDC Staffing Upheaval Disrupts HIV Projects and Wastes Money, Researchers Say,” Amy Maxmen, KFF Health News
• “CDC Interim Leaders, in First All-Hands Meeting, Speak of ‘Myth-Busting’ and ‘Resilience,'” Helen Branswell, STAT News

Federal Judge Blocks Administration from Withdrawing Public Health Funding to Four Municipalities

US District Court Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington, DC issued a preliminary injunction this week preventing the federal government from withdrawing millions in public health funding from four municipalities in Texas, Ohio, Tennessee, and Missouri. The injunction was sought by district attorneys in Harris County, TX (home of Houston), Columbus, OH, Nashville, TN, and Kansas City, MO, all of which are led by Democratic elected officials. The lawsuit, which was filed in late April, alleged that the $11 billion in CDC program funding had already been approved by Congress and was therefore being unconstitutionally withheld from the municipalities. The lawsuit further argues that the administration’s actions violate HHS regulations. This is the second such federal ruling that has reinstated public health funding across several states.

Further Reading on Questions, Concerns About COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendation Changes, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices:

• “Kennedy’s HHS Sent Congress ‘Junk Science’ to Defend Vaccine Changes, Experts Say,” Jackie Fortiér, KFF Health News
• “Kennedy’s New Vaccine Advisers Helped Lawyers Raise Doubts About Their Safety,” Christina Jewett and Sheryl Gay Stolberg, The New York Times
• “How Vaccine Critics Appointed by RFK Jr. Could Limit Access to Shots,” Lena H. Sun and Lauren Weber, The Washington Post
• “Six Former CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee Chairs Warn: U.S. Risks Losing Access to Life-Saving Immunizations,” Grace Lee, Nancy Bennett, Jonathan Temte, Carol Baker, and José Romero, STAT News
• “RFK Jr. is Sabotaging the Vaccine Program. Here’s How to Stop Him,” Ashish K. Jha, The Washington Post
• “Celebrated, Then Disparaged: mRNA’s Promise is Tarnished Under Trump,” Daniel Gilbert, Carolyn Y. Johnson and Rachel Roubein, The Washington Post
• “Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices at a Crossroads,” Edwin J. Asturias, Noel T. Brewer, and Oliver Brooks, JAMA
• “The Vaccine Integrity Project – Interim Update (June 17 2025),” CIDRAP

US Measles Cases Continue to Rise

In the most recent update released by the CDC, the number of measles cases in the United States this year has risen to 1,197, the most the US has had in a single year since 2019 (1,274 for the total year). 35 states have reported outbreaks, including Arizona, which reported its first cases for the year during the week before CDC’s update. While 3% of US cases so far are in individuals who have received both doses of the MMR vaccine, the CDC reports that none of those hospitalized with measles this year have documented evidence of receiving both doses of the vaccine. Canada and Mexico also continue to experience significant outbreaks.

Further Reading:

• “Kennedy’s New US Vaccine Panel to Discuss Measles Shot for Children,” Michael Erman and Ahmed Aboulenein, Reuters
• “3% of Measles Cases are Among Fully Vaccinated Individuals, CDC Says,” Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today
• “Ontario’s Measles Outbreak Through the Eyes of Front-Line Workers,” Hannah Alberga, MSN

“Assassinations? Defamation? How Genetic Technology Could Destabilize the World”

Tony Ingesson, David Gisselsson Nord, and Filippa Lentzos recently published this article in The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, in which they explain “…when discussing future risks of genetic technology, the security policy community has largely focused on spectacular scenarios of genetically tailored bioweapons or artificial intelligence (AI) engineered superbugs. A more imminent weaponization concern is more straightforward: the risk that nefarious actors use the genetic techniques and services that exist today to frame, defame, or even assassinate targets. Rather than on the battlefield, adversaries are more likely to use this technology in the gray zone—the murky area of geopolitical conflict where attribution is difficult, and countries aim to destabilize instead of destroy opponents.”

Applied Biosafety Special Issue: Biosafety and Biosecurity for Potential Pandemic Pathogens and Dual-Use Research of Concern

This special issue of Applied Biosafety includes several articles likely of interest to readers of The Pandora Report, including “The Evolution of United States Governance Policies for Research Using Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential,” “Dual-Use Research and Publication Policies: A Comparison of Journals in Life Sciences and Artificial Intelligence,” “Trust, but Verify: A “Just Culture” Model for Oversight of Potentially High-Risk Life Sciences Research,” and more.

“Mpox, Myths and Media Manipulation”

From EUvsDisinfo: “Pro-Kremlin disinformation tactics are again weaponising health fears in Africa, echoing deadly Cold War-era campaigns that once fuelled HIV/AIDS denial…Conspiracy theories and disinformation about mpox mirror decades-old propaganda playbooks. We uncover why exposing disinformation that preys on health scares is necessary to combat the spread of deadly diseases alongside delivering vaccines.”

“The “Virus Hunter” Who Advanced Public Health, One Tool at a Time”

This profile published in The Scientist was written by Shelby Bradford: “Ian Lipkin, an experimental pathologist at Columbia University, is today most famous for discovering more than 2,000 viruses, which earned him the moniker “virus hunter,” over a decades-long career in pathogen discovery. However, Lipkin’s original trajectory was on a path of anthropology and theater. “I never had any anticipation and never any plan to go into medicine, let alone to go into science. It’s just something that crept up on me,” he said. A chance intro to organic chemistry—what he thought would be his first and last basic science course—steered him onto a course in public health and research.”

Read the full profile here.

“Health and Science Diplomacy Protects Everyone”

This piece by Joshua Glasser was published in Think Global Health. In it, Glasser discusses what is at risk in the US withdrawing from science and health diplomacy, writing in part, “The risk here is not only that competitors could seize the mantle of leadership and reshape the world in their image, it is also that partners and allies will lose trust in the United States and withdraw from cooperation altogether. Budget cuts are tough. The loss of staff and institutional knowledge systems has been devastating…But a decline in trust and the cooperative mentality—benefits that arise from a functioning health and science diplomacy system—are the most difficult problem of all.”

“The Future of the Chemical Weapons Convention: Recommendations from Civil Society for Addressing Challenges Over the Next Five Years”

From the Chemical Weapons Convention Coalition: “In July 2023, the world reached a landmark achievement in the history of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs): the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) confirmed the verified and irreversible destruction of all known chemical weapons stockpiles. 26 years after the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) entered into force, it had achieved one of its major goals, becoming the first multilateral disarmament treaty to effectively eliminate an entire class of weapons.”

“This was not the first time that the CWC led the way in disarmament. With 193 member states, the CWC is the most universal of multilateral disarmament treaties. In 2013, the OPCW was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its “extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons.”’

“The CWC was opened for signature in January 1993 and officially entered into force on 29 April 1997, after the 65th state party adhered to the convention. The treaty is thorough in its attempt to rid the world of chemical weapons: it outlaws the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, and retention of chemical weapons. The goal of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to create a word “free from the threat of chemical weapons” is one step closer now that all declared stockpiles have been destroyed. This latest achievement offered a glimmer of hope in the arms control world amidst rising tensions among nuclear armed powers.”

Read the report here.

What We’re Listening To 🎧

KFF Health News’ ‘What the Health?’ Ep. 401, “RFK Jr. Upends Vaccine Policy, After Promising He Wouldn’t”

“After explicitly promising senators during his confirmation hearing that he would not interfere in scientific policy over which Americans should receive which vaccines, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this week fired every member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the group of experts who help the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention make those evidence-based judgments. Kennedy then appointed new members, including vaccine skeptics, prompting alarm from the broader medical community.”

“Meanwhile, over at the National Institutes of Health, some 300 employees — many using their full names — sent a letter of dissent to the agency’s director, Jay Bhattacharya, saying the administration’s policies “undermine the NIH mission, waste our public resources, and harm the health of Americans and people across the globe.”’

“This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine.”

Listen here.

NEW: Biodefense in Crisis: Danger and Opportunity

“This Commission meeting, Biodefense in Crisis: Danger and Opportunity, will be held on July 22, 2025. As a new Administration begins to develop its policy priorities and realigns federal offices and programs, the government must maintain and strengthen federal capabilities to address the biological threat. The focus of this meeting will be to provide the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense with a better understanding of (1) core requirements for effective national biodefense; (2) Administration biodefense priorities; (3) impacts of department and agency realignment; and (4) strategies for addressing future biological threats. More information will be provided as the event date approaches.”

This event will take place on July 22, 10 am-4 pm ET in Washington, DC. Register here.

SBA.4 International Synthetic Biology and Biosecurity Conference in Africa

From SynBio Africa: “The SBA 4.0 conference will serve as a platform for fostering connections among industry, academia, community groups, and policymakers. It will showcase innovative applications of synthetic biology and AI, and highlight ongoing efforts in biomathematics, biomanufacturing, one-health, biosafety and biosecurity. It will also facilitate networking and information exchange. Key focus areas include tackling agriculture, health, environmental management, and industry challenges. In Africa, synthetic biology is poised to drive the national development agenda by promoting a sustainable bioeconomy, supporting health and agricultural systems, and aiding environmental conservation and restoration. This event will provide a vital opportunity for stakeholders to discuss and strategize the integration of synthetic biology innovations, address policy, legal frameworks, and communicate the benefits of the technology.”

This conference will take place July 23-25 in Kigali. Learn more and register here.

International Pandemic Sciences Conference

“Representatives from academia, industry, civil society and policy are invited to gather in Oxford, UK, and online from 30 June – 1 July 2025 for the International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025.”

“This year’s conference theme, Getting Ahead of the Curve, will explore how we can work together to predict, identify and control epidemic and pandemic threats globally. ”

“Over two days of plenary, parallel and networking sessions, stakeholders from different sectors and communities will have the opportunity to share ideas, experiences and strategies on prediction, early detection and control of pandemic threats. ”

“The International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025 is hosted by the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford.”

Learn more, register, and submit abstracts here.

CTD-SPECTRE 2nd Annual Symposium 

“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.”

Learn more and register here.

NEW: 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.

NEW: Request for Proposals: Biosafety and Biosecurity Capacity Strengthening in Support of the 100 Days Mission

From CEPI: “This Request for Proposals (RfP) will support the establishment of a group of implementation partners to enable successful implementation of CEPI’s Biosecurity Strategy, focused on objectives associated with capacity strengthening, equity, and health-security partnerships, as described in CEPI’s Biosecurity Strategy Implementation Plan. The selected applicants will sign a Framework Agreement under which CEPI can make “call-offs”, i.e. requests for services, related to specific tasks. At CEPI’s direction, services rendered under this Framework Agreement may be provided to CEPI internally, or to a partner organization (e.g. partner countries, affiliates within CEPI’s laboratory and manufacturing networks particularly in the Global South, international organisations, etc.); such partners may govern aspects of the content of the work, but the legal agreement remains with CEPI.”

Learn more and submit proposals by July 30 here.

Announcing the Arms Control Knowledge Transfer Initiative Primary Source Archive

The Center for Strategic and International Studies’ (CSIS) Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) has launched the Arms Control Knowledge Transfer Initiative (ACKTI), a program designed to preserve knowledge through senior expert interviews and primary source archival research, to educate the next generation of arms control experts on all aspects of arms control, including negotiation, implementation, inspection, and more.

Call for Applications: Mid-Career Biodefense Bootcamp Fellowship (2025)
“…the Council on Strategic Risks (CSR) is continuing to develop and cultivate creative solutions to help address biological threats, including a particular focus on reducing risks of the deliberate misuse of infectious diseases and other biological materials, processes, and products. As part of this work, CSR is announcing an open call for applications for our new Mid-Career Biodefense Bootcamp Fellowship, which follows an early-2024 beta run of the program.”

“In this “bootcamp” fellowship, successful applicants will learn from leading experts committed to biological threat reduction and biosecurity, including current and former government officials who helped dismantle Cold War-era biological weapons capabilities, advance international biological cooperation, and drive policy progress. They will interact with leading current and former experts as well as public and private sector innovators.”

Learn more and apply by July 7 here.

This week’s Pandora Report covers the dismissal of the entirety of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, RFK Jr.’s new appointees to that committee, the arrest of another PRC national accused of attempting to smuggle unauthorized biological materials to the University of Michigan, and more.

Secretary Kennedy Dismisses All ACIP Members, Appoints Eight New Members

On Monday, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed the entire 17-member Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) in a move he describes as one “to restore public trust in vaccines.” This came just one week after announcing his department changed the vaccine schedule without ACIP’s input. This body advises the CDC on the vaccine schedule and required coverage of immunizations.

Kennedy claimed that many of the panel’s members were “last-minute appointees” of the previous administration, and that “Without removing the current members, the current Trump administration would not have been able to appoint a majority of new members until 2028.” He further argued that the group was rife with conflicts of interest, despite ACIP recently publishing details on its members’ conflicts and disclosures from 2000-2024 and when these members abstained from votes where potential conflicts of interest did exist.

During his confirmation hearing, Kennedy pledged to Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican and current chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, that he would consult with him on filling key roles on vaccine advisory boards. He also promised the senator he would not make changes to ACIP, as revealed by Cassidy in a February speech.

Sen. Cassidy posted his response to Kennedy’s sudden action on X, writing “Of course, now the fear is that the ACIP will be filled up with people who know nothing about vaccines except suspicion. I’ve just spoken with Secretary Kennedy, and I’ll continue to talk with him to ensure this is not the case.”

Kennedy said on Tuesday, just before announcing who he later appointed to ACIP, “We’re going to bring great people onto the ACIP panel – not anti-vaxxers – bringing people on who are credentialed scientists.” His picks include:

1. H. Cody Meissner, MD, FAAP-Professor of Pediatrics at Tufts University School of Medicine and Head of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Service at Tufts Medical Center; former ACIP Member
2. Martin Kulldorff, PhD-Former Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School from 2003 until his dismissal in 2024; co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, which claimed shutdowns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic caused irreparable damage and that other public health measures were harmful
3. Vicky Pebsworth, PhD, RN-Regional Director for the National Association of Catholic Nurses; board member and volunteer director for the National Vaccine Information Center, a widely-criticized group infamous for spreading vaccine misinformation
4. Robert Malone, MD-former mRNA researcher, close adviser to Kennedy who runs a wellness institute and blog, and rose to prominence for sharing false claims about COVID-19 on programs like “The Joe Rogan Experience”
5. James Hibbeln, MD-a psychiatrist who formerly led an NIH group that focused on nutritional neurosciences, including intake of Omega-3 and other fatty acids
6. Restef Levi, PhD-Professor, Operations Management at MIT who, in 2023, called for the end of the COVID-19 vaccination program, writing “The evidence is mounting and indisputable that MRNA vaccines cause serious harm including death, especially among young people. We have to stop giving them immediately!”
7. James Pagano, MD-an emergency medicine physician in the Los Angeles area
8. Michael Ross, MD-an OBGYN who formerly served on a CDC breast and cervical cancer advisory committee; described in his bio as “…a serial CEO and physician leader with over 35 years of executive experience in leading private healthcare and life science companies.”

Voting ACIP members are supposed to possess clinical or scientific expertise regarding immunization, except for one lay member who can serve as a consumer representative. According to CDC, “This position is held by a technically qualified person knowledgeable about consumer perspectives and/or social and community aspects of immunization programs.”

The ACIP is set to convene its next meeting June 25-27, in Atlanta, GA.

Further Reading:

• “RFK Jr.: HHS Moves to Restore Public Trust in Vaccines,” Robert F. Kennedy Jr., The Wall Street Journal
• “Firing of CDC’s Vaccine Advisers Puts Spotlight on RFJ Jr.’s Promises to Cassidy,” Chelsea Cirruzzo and Alex Hogan, STAT News
• “A Closer Look at the New Members of the CDC Vaccine Advisory Panel,” STAT Staff, STAT News
• “Two of Kennedy’s New ACIP Picks Were Paid Expert Witnesses in Merck Vaccine Case,” Tristan Manalac, BioSpace
• “Outed CDC Vaccine Adivser Says RFK Jr.’s Message is Clear: ‘Scientific Expertise is No Longer of Use,'” Helen Branswell, STAT News
• “Colorado Doctor Fired by RFK Jr. from Federal Vaccine Committee: “This Decision is Really Going to Undermine Public Trust,”‘ John Ingold, The Colorado Sun

Organization Statements:

• American Academy of Family Physicians: “AAFP Responds to Removal of Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Members”
• American Academy of Pediatrics: “AAP ‘Deeply Troubled and Alarmed’ by Ousting of CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee”
• American Academy of Physician Associates: “Statement from AAPA on Removal of CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Members”
• American College Health Association: “Statement on the Changes to CDC ACIP”
• American Association of Nurse Practitioners: “National Nursing Organizations Express Concern Over Dismissal of ACIP Representatives”
• American College of Physicians: “American College of Physicians Highly Concerned About Dismissal of Vaccine Experts from ACIP”
• American Medical Association: “AMA Statement on Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices”
• American Pharmacists Association: “APhA Alarmed by Elimination of ACIP Voting Membership”
• American Public Health Association: “Trump Administration Attempts Coup of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices”
• Biotechnology Innovation Organization: “BIO Statement on HHS Dismissal of CDC Advisory Committee Members”
• California Immunization Coalition: “Response to HHS Secretary Kennedy’s Removal of ACIP Members”
• Infectious Diseases Society of America: “Statement on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices”
• National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners: “Official Statement Regarding Changes to ACIP”
• National Foundation for Infectious Diseases: “NFID Statement on the Importance of Federal Advisory Committees in Protecting Public Health”
• National Health Council: “NHC Letter to HHS Re: Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (APIC)”
• National Medical Association: “NMA Statement on Removal of Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Panel”
• Science and Families Engaging Communities Coalition: “Statement from SAFE Communities Coalition on Dismissal of ACIP Members by HHS”
• The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America: “SHEA Affirms Trust in ACIP and Supports Science-Based Vaccine Policy”
• Vaccinate Your Family: “Statement from Vaccinate Your Family on the Removal of ACIP Members and the Threat to Vaccine Coverage”
• Voices for Vaccines: “Voices for Vaccines’ Statement on the Termination of ACIP Memberships”

340+ Employees Release Statement on Politicization of Science at NIH

More than 340 scientists and other staff members at the NIH released a statement this week claiming that leadership at the agency has politicized science while also imploring them to reverse cuts and freezes on external grants. In it, the authors emphasize NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya’s stated dedication to free speech and scientific dissent at NIH. The authors also explain in their introduction that, “For staff across the National Institutes of Health (NIH), we dissent to Administration policies that undermine the NIH mission, waste public resources, and harm the health of Americans and people across the globe. Keeping NIH at the forefront of biomedical research requires our stalwart commitment to continuous improvement. But the life-and-death nature of our work demands that changes be thoughtful and vetted. We are compelled to speak up when our leadership prioritizes political momentum over human safety and faithful stewardship of public resources.”

According to Science, “The declaration organizers write that they modeled their protest after the Great Barrington Declaration, a 2020 statement written by Bhattacharya and others that decried COVID-19 lockdowns and other public health restrictions. The health economist, then at Stanford University, and his two co-signers argued instead to focus on protecting only the most vulnerable groups from SARS-CoV-2. Bhattacharya has said his pandemic views were suppressed by the mainstream medical establishment and, since arriving at NIH in April, vowed to foster a culture of “dissent” at the agency.”

A second letter has been published supporting the first that has been signed by at least 19 Nobel Prize winners and two former NIH directors.

Further Reading:

• “The Bethesda Declaration: A Call for NIH and HHS Leadership to Deliver on Promises of Academic Freedom and Scientific Excellence”
• “NIH Scientists Call on Director to Protect Biomedical Research,” Rob Stein, NPR
• “‘We Dissent’: NIH Workers Protest Trump Policies That ‘Harm the Health of Americans,'” Rachana Pradhan, KFF Health News
• “Senators Grill NIH Director in Budget Hearing: 4 Takeaways,” Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, The Hill

JAMA Article Outlines New FDA Priorities

A recent article authored by FDA Commissioner Martin Makary and Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research Vinay Prasad and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association lays out the FDA’s new priorities. One of these includes using AI to “radically increase efficiency” in the process of approving drugs and medical devices, in what Makary and Vinay Prasad describe in the article as “unleashing AI.” The pair also explain that the agency has “developed a road map to reduce animal testing using AI-based computational modeling to predict toxicity-leveraging chip technology.” Other priorities discussed in the article include accelerating cures, harnessing big data, and removing additives like petroleum-based dyes and talc from foods and medications.

Further Reading:

• “Makary, Prasad Lay Out Mission for FDA in Journal Kennedy Called ‘Corrupt,'” Heather McKenzie, BioSpace
• “F.D.A. to Use A.I. in Drug Approvals to ‘Radically Increase Efficiency,'” Christina Jewett, The New York Times

CDC to Rehire 450+ Fired Employees

The CDC will rehire hundreds of terminated employees from the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention, the National Center for Environmental Health, the Immediate Office of the Director, and the Global Health Center. These employees were initially fired as part of HHS’ large reorganization and downsizing efforts that included terminations of about 2,400 CDC employees. In a statement about the rehirings, HHS said, “The Trump Administration is committed to protecting essential services—whether it’s supporting coal miners and firefighters through [the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health], safeguarding public health through lead prevention, or researching and tracking the most prevalent communicable diseases.”

Further Reading:

• “HHS Reinstates More Than 450 CDC Employees Fired During Massive Reorganization in April,” Heather Landi, Fierce Healthcare

Administration Will Cut All USAID Overseas Roles by September 30

New reporting from The Guardian has revealed that the administration plans to eliminate all of USAID’s international workforce by September 30. In a cable obtained by the outlet, Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained that, “The Department of State is streamlining procedures under National Security Directive 38 to abolish all USAID overseas positions,” adding that his department “will assume responsibility for foreign assistance programming previously undertaken by USAID” beginning on June 15.

A State Department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce, confirmed the cable to the press before telling reporters that the action is just the department following through on promises of the administration to dismantle USAID. Bruce said, “So this was a cable, telling our posts exactly what they were expecting to be told, which is that those positions were being eliminated. So it wasn’t a surprise. It’s nothing new. And, it is exactly what we previewed, in February and March of this year.”

Further Reading:

• “US Secretary of State Rubio terminates all USAID positions abroad: Report,” MEE Staff, Middle East Eye
• “‘It’s Made Up’: Democrats Say Rubio Isn’t Playing It Straight About Foreign Aid Cuts,” Carmen Paun, Amanda Friedman, and Robert King, Politico
• “‘The Cartels and Clans Are Ecstatic’: How USAID Cuts Have Emboldened Colombia’s Narcos,” Harriet Barber, The Telegraph
• “U.S. Soft Power: Next Steps After the Foreign Aid Withdrawal,” Stephanie Psaki, Think Global Health

US Arrests Another Chinese National Who Allegedly Smuggled Biological Materials

On June 9, 2025, authorities arrested another Chinese scientist at Detroit Metropolitan Airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle unauthorized biological materials into the country. According to the Department of Justice, the scientist, Han Chengxuan, is a PhD candidate at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. She traveled to the US to begin a year-long research stint at the University of Michigan. In 2024 and 2025, she sent four packages to the US from the PRC that contained concealed biological materials. These packages were addressed to individuals affiliated with a laboratory at the University of Michigan.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers conducted an inspection of Han upon her arrival in Detroit, during which she made false statements about the packages and concealed materials. CBP officers later discovered the contents of her electronic device were deleted just days prior to her arrival in the US. Following their inspection, Han was interviewed by agents from the FBI and HSI. During this interview, she admitted to sending the packages knowing they contained biological material related to round worms. She also admitted to making false statements to CBP.

This comes just days after a Chinese couple was charged with conspiring to smuggle Fusarium graminearum into the United States. The pair intended to smuggle the samples into a laboratory at the University of Michigan where one of them is a postdoc. They had researched the fungus together while in university in the PRC.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Says Moscow Vies Western Military Biological Activities as a Security Threat

Russian state-owned media outlet TASS reported this week that Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said the West’s military biological activities constitute security threats to Moscow. In statements made at the Fifth International Scientific and Practical Conference-“Global Threats to Biological Security. Problems and Solutions.”-the senior diplomat said, “For quite a while, Russia has been expressing serious concern about the military biological activities of Western countries, which directly involve military officials and take place in laboratories outside those countries, particularly in close proximity to Russia’s borders…We see such activities, which are most often carried out through affiliated organizations and private companies that act as contractors, as a national security threat.”

This echoes years’ worth of Russian claims that the US and other Western counties are developing biological weapons in neighboring countries, including Georgia and Ukraine. Russia also notably accused the US at the UNSC of a plot with Ukraine to use migratory birds and bats to spread pathogens in its territory in 2022. Russia later reiterated these claims in October of that year. Russia requested a formal consultative meeting regarding these claims under Article V of the BWC in June of 2022. The Security Council later rejected a resolution offered by the Russian Federation to set up a commission to investigate its claims.

On the Lighter Side: Where Does the Name “Salmonella” Come From? 🐟

While the US consumed about 3.22 lbs (1.46 kg) of salmon per capita in 2022, salmonella is responsible for about 1.35 million infections every year in the US. What do these have in common? Absolutely nothing! Despite its fishy name, salmonella is named after a person with the last name Salmon—much like German chocolate cake, which is not from Germany, but is named after a person with the last name German. Read Juliana Kim’s breakdown of the bacterium’s backstory and etymology for NPR here.

“Lighting The Way: A Commentary on A Blueprint for Far-UVC”

In this piece for The Pandora Report, Biodefense PhD Candidate Sally Huang analyzes Blueprint Biosecurity‘s recently-published report, Blueprint for Far-UVC. Huang writes in part, “The Blueprint for Far-UVC report represents meaningful progress in the healthcare technology realm and may offer useful direction for policymakers aiming to advance deployment. It highlights opportunities to pair implementation with targeted funding for pilot programs, the development of accreditation pathways for healthcare technologies, and the integration of far-UVC alongside other healthcare technologies. These measures could go a long way in reinforcing and sustaining emergency preparedness well beyond the immediate context of pandemic preparedness.”

“How to Stop the Next Pandemic”

This month’s edition of The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists‘ digital magazine is dedicated to pandemic prevention and includes articles like “How AI Can Slow the Rise of Antibiotic-Resistant “Superbugs,”” “Pandemics, Public Health, and Popular Support: What History Can Tell Us,” and “Amplifying Doubt: How Russian Trolls Leveraged Pandemic Uncertainty for Strategic Gain.”

“The Imperative of a Global Pandemic Risk Assessment Framework”

This NAM Perspectives piece was authored by Victor J. Dzau, Maria de Lourdes Oliveira Aguiar, and Joy Phumaphi, and illustrates a long-term vision for addressing pandemic risk. The authors write in part, “The absence of a systematic approach to monitoring and assessing pandemic risk leaves policymakers unprepared and populations vulnerable. While international efforts like the Global Health Security Agenda and the Joint External Evaluation aim to strengthen preparedness, they must be paralleled by ongoing comprehensive risk assessments: after all, it is impossible to assess preparedness if we do not understand what we are preparing for. To improve pandemic preparedness, we must shift from a reactive response model to risk-informed preparedness anchored in ongoing assessment. Establishing a structured, interdisciplinary pandemic risk assessment framework will allow global stakeholders to anticipate, mitigate, and manage future pandemics more effectively (Oppenheim et al., 2021).”

“The Pandemic Accord’s Dangerous Blind Spot: Laboratory Biosafety and Biosecurity”

In this commentary piece from the RAND Corporation, Jay Atanda argues that the Pandemic Accord, while aiming to improve global readiness and response to pandemic, overlooks lab biosafety and biosecurity, noting that it barely acknowledges such threats with just two mentions of “laboratory biological risk management.” Drawing on work from globalbiolabs.org, he highlights how the risk of accidents involving the highest consequence pathogens is rising as the number of BSL-4 labs in the world also rises. He recommends creating a mandatory reporting requirement for laboratory accidents as part of a new framework for laboratory biosafety and biosecurity monitoring, similar to the IHR. He also suggests a program similar to the GHSA should be created for this area, and that BSL-4 facilities should be located away form major population centers.

“Should There be Stricter Regulation for Laboratories Doing Dangerous Research Into Viruses?”

This debate piece from Horizons includes commentary from Laurent Bächler and Mirco Schmolke, who offer insight and opposing answers to the question of creating stricter regulations for labs undertaking risky virological research.

50 Years of the Biological Weapons Convention: Tracking the Journey

This new book was edited by Ajey Lele and is available for purchase or digital download from the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses: “The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) entered into force in 1975. This treaty prohibits the development, production, and stockpiling of biological and toxin weapons. This volume offers a comprehensive examination of the BWC’s historical development, notable achievements, and the challenges it may encounter in the future. It examines the treaty’s role in international security and assesses its effectiveness in preventing the misuse of biology for hostile purpose-a must-read for scholars, policymakers, and security professionals.”

“Viral Families With Pandemic Potential”

Amesh Adalja and Thomas Inglesby recently published this article in Open Forum Infectious Diseases. In it, they write in part “…here we describe with more detail the viral families that should be prioritized as those with greatest pandemic potential given their capacity for widespread respiratory transmission and the absence of MCMs: Orthomyxoviridae, Coronaviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Picornavirdae, Pneumoviridae, and Adenoviridae. These viral families all include viral species that have the capacity for efficient human-to-human spread via the respiratory route, seasonal endemic members, and zoonotic analogues…”

What We’re Listening To 🎧

BioSciences, Expert Interview: Harshi Mukundan on Biosecurity
“In this audio interview, listen as Harshi Mukundan, interim Head of the Bioengineering and Biomedical Sciences Department and Chemical and Biological Technologies Lead in the Lab’s Office of National and Homeland Security, discusses the importance of biosecurity research.”

Listen here.

SBA.4 International Synthetic Biology and Biosecurity Conference in Africa

From SynBio Africa: “The SBA 4.0 conference will serve as a platform for fostering connections among industry, academia, community groups, and policymakers. It will showcase innovative applications of synthetic biology and AI, and highlight ongoing efforts in biomathematics, biomanufacturing, one-health, biosafety and biosecurity. It will also facilitate networking and information exchange. Key focus areas include tackling agriculture, health, environmental management, and industry challenges. In Africa, synthetic biology is poised to drive the national development agenda by promoting a sustainable bioeconomy, supporting health and agricultural systems, and aiding environmental conservation and restoration. This event will provide a vital opportunity for stakeholders to discuss and strategize the integration of synthetic biology innovations, address policy, legal frameworks, and communicate the benefits of the technology.”

This conference will take place July 23-25 in Kigali. Learn more and register here.

International Pandemic Sciences Conference

“Representatives from academia, industry, civil society and policy are invited to gather in Oxford, UK, and online from 30 June – 1 July 2025 for the International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025.”

“This year’s conference theme, Getting Ahead of the Curve, will explore how we can work together to predict, identify and control epidemic and pandemic threats globally. ”

“Over two days of plenary, parallel and networking sessions, stakeholders from different sectors and communities will have the opportunity to share ideas, experiences and strategies on prediction, early detection and control of pandemic threats. ”

“The International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025 is hosted by the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford.”

Learn more, register, and submit abstracts here.

CTD-SPECTRE 2nd Annual Symposium 

“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.”

Learn more and register here.

Announcing the Arms Control Knowledge Transfer Initiative Primary Source Archive

The Center for Strategic and International Studies’ (CSIS) Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) has launched the Arms Control Knowledge Transfer Initiative (ACKTI), a program designed to preserve knowledge through senior expert interviews and primary source archival research, to educate the next generation of arms control experts on all aspects of arms control, including negotiation, implementation, inspection, and more.

Call for Applications: Mid-Career Biodefense Bootcamp Fellowship (2025)
“…the Council on Strategic Risks (CSR) is continuing to develop and cultivate creative solutions to help address biological threats, including a particular focus on reducing risks of the deliberate misuse of infectious diseases and other biological materials, processes, and products. As part of this work, CSR is announcing an open call for applications for our new Mid-Career Biodefense Bootcamp Fellowship, which follows an early-2024 beta run of the program.”

“In this “bootcamp” fellowship, successful applicants will learn from leading experts committed to biological threat reduction and biosecurity, including current and former government officials who helped dismantle Cold War-era biological weapons capabilities, advance international biological cooperation, and drive policy progress. They will interact with leading current and former experts as well as public and private sector innovators.”

Learn more and apply by July 7 here.

This week’s Pandora Report covers the Trump administration’s FY 2026 budget request and what it may entail for global health, public health, scientific research, and US nuclear weapons. Further updates on HHS and a federal case against a Chinese couple accused of smuggling a toxic fungus into the United States are included as well.

Trump’s Budget Request, Recission Plan Aim to Further Cut Global and Public Health Funding

The Trump administration’s recission package and FY 2026 budget request both aim to slash global and public health funding even further while giving conflicting reasons for cutting funding for some programs while increasing it for others. Some examples of these proposed cuts include ending US funding for Gavi, cuts to PEPFAR and the President’s Malaria Initiative, and a proposal to eliminate CDC’s Global Health Center as part of a 25% reduction in discretionary funding for HHS. The proposal reads in part, “The request eliminates funding for programs that do not make Americans safer, such as family planning and reproductive health, neglected tropical diseases, and nonemergency nutrition.”

Later, in its section about CDC, the proposal states, “The Budget eliminates duplicative, DEI, or simply unnecessary programs, including: the National Center for Chronic Diseases Prevention and Health Promotion; National Center for Environmental Health; National Center for Injury Prevention and Control; the Global Health Center; Public Health Preparedness and Response, which can be conducted more effectively by States; and the Preventive Health and Human Services Block Grant, the purposes for which can be best funded by States. The Budget refocuses CDC on emerging and infectious disease surveillance, outbreak investigations, preparedness and response, and maintaining the Nation’s public health infrastructure. The Budget maintains more than $4 billion for CDC.”

This request requires congressional approval, but it represents an incredibly short-sighted and misinformed move on the part of the administration. Slashing global and public health funding, including within CDC, in a bid to “refocus” CDC on emerging and infectious disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, and preparedness and response is nonsensical. Outbreaks do not have to start in the US to affect people in the US, as is evidenced by the current measles outbreaks in the US, which began with international travelers who were infected.

Furthermore, it will be incredibly difficult to be prepared for these threats when the administration is constantly cutting domestic public health and research funding. This budget proposal, as currently written, would also slash HHS’ by 25%, from $127 billion down to $95 billion. The administration would also like to cut NIH funding by $18 billion down to $27.5 billion.

At the same time, the proposal calls for $500 million funding for “Make American Healthy Again (MAHA),” which it describes as “Building on the work of the President’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission and Executive Order 14212, “Establishing the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission,” the Budget provides $500 million for the MAHA initiative, which would allow the Secretary to tackle nutrition, physical activity, healthy lifestyles, over-reliance on medication and treatments, the effects of new technological habits, environmental impacts, and food and drug quality and safety across HHS.”

While the proposal aims to continue HHS efforts to terminate and reduce offices and programs the administration deems duplicative, it also would give the proposed Administration for a Healthy America a $14 billion budget while combining OASH, HRSA, SAMHSA, ATSDR, and NIOSH. This is all while cutting funding for the US Preventative Services Task Force and the ACA Prevention and Public Health Fund.

This budget proposal represents more MAHA nonsense that pays yet more lip service to the idea of improving Americans’ health while continuing to cut funding for programs that actually help do that. Furthermore, it continues the Trump administration’s efforts to end US involvement in global health and international development, something that is already proving detrimental both for the United States itself as well as countless others around the world.

Further Reading:

• “The Disappearing Funds for Global Health,” Irena Hwang, Jon Huang, Emily Anthes, Blacki Migliozzi and Benjamin Mueller, The New York Times
• “Trump Budget Request and Rescission Plan Slashes Global Health Funding,” Sara Jerving, Devex
• “Sudden Impact: When Health Programs End,” Elna Schütz, Public Health
• “The U.S. Slashed HIV/AIDS Funding. Here is How Countries That Relied on it Might Adapt,” Simar Bajaj, STAT News
• “Deep Cuts Erode the Foundations of US Public Health System, End Progress, Threaten Worse to Come,” Laura Ungar and Michelle R. Smith, AP
• “New HHS Document Details Deep NIH Cuts as Part of Trump Budget Request,” Jonathan Wosen and Daniel Payne, STAT News
• “Exodus of USDA Veterinarians and Others Drives Fears that U.S. Farms Are at Risk,” Andrea Hsu, NPR

Trump Administration Requests Budget Increase for NNSA, DOD Nuclear Programs

The same budget request that would continue to slash funding for public health and critical scientific research also asks for a significant increase in funding for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The request is for $25 billion, up from $19 billion this year, a 29% increase. $15.6 billion of this would be for the agency’s weapons accounts. This would support modernization efforts, infrastructure revitalization, and other S&T investments. The request also includes increases for DOD nuclear programs, which total about $28.9 billion in the request. Meanwhile, funding for the National Science Foundation would plummet 55% under this proposal, from $8.8 billion this year to $3.9 billion the next.

When asked about this, a spokesperson for the White House said, “The president’s budget strengthens U.S. leadership in research and development by ensuring that federal funding goes to legitimate research, not woke waste.”

Further Reading:

• “Why We Should Worry About Nuclear Weapons Again,” Jon B. Wolfsthal, Hans Kristensen, and Matt Korda, The Washington Post
• “The U.S. Can’t Afford to Lose the Biotech Race with China,” Eric Schmidt and Dawn Meyerriecks, Time

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Lead Resigns

Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos, a senior official at CDC overseeing the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), resigned recently following a directive from Secretary Kennedy to update CDC’s recommendations for COVID-19 vaccinations. Panagiotakopoulos was with CDC for over a decade. In an email to ACIP’s COVID-19 vaccines work group, she wrote, “My career in public health and vaccinology started with a deep-seated desire to help the most vulnerable members of our population, and that is not something I am able to continue doing in this role.”

RFK Jr. Announces Moderns Will Test Its COVID-19 Vaccine Against Placebo

Sec. Kennedy announced this week that Moderna has agreed to conduct a placebo-controlled trial for its new COVID-19 vaccine, mNEXSPIKE. This came after the FDA’s limited approval of the vaccine for adults aged 65 and up and people aged 12-64 with at least one underlying health condition, a departure from previous FDA approvals for COVID-19 vaccines. Efforts to require placebo-controlled trials are considered by many experts to be both unnecessary and unethical for established vaccines like those for COVID-19 because of the risk of exposing people to preventable illness while delaying vaccine availability and potentially undermining public trust.

PRC Nationals Charged with Smuggling Pathogen into US

Two PRC nationals, Jian Yunqing and Liu Zunyong, have been charged with conspiring to smuggle Fusarium graminearum (Gibberella zeae), a toxic fungus, into the United States. The fungus is known to cause substantial agricultural damage. Allegedly, the pair intended to smuggle it into the University of Michigan laboratory Jian is a postdoc in. The pair researched the fungus together as university students in China. They have been charged with with conspiracy, smuggling goods into the United States, false statements, and visa fraud.

UK National Audit Office Finds Country Not Ready for Major Animals Disease Outbreaks

Recent reporting from the UK’s National Audit Office reveals that just 5% of live animal imports to the country undergo physical checks, much lower than the target of 100% set by the Animal and Plant Health Agency. This is reportedly primarily due to delays and technological issues, raising concerns about the UK’s ability to respond effectively to outbreaks of diseases like bird flu and foot-and-mouth disease.

“ASPPH Broken Lifelines: The Economic Consequences of Defunding Academic Public Health”

From ASPPH: “The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) has released Broken Lifelines, a new report outlining how recent federal funding cuts are harming academic public health. The report highlights the deep economic, institutional, and workforce impacts of the 2025 budget disruptions and why restoring federal investment is critical to the nation’s health and preparedness.”

“Public Health Preparedness: HHS Needs a Coordinated National Approach for Diagnostic Testing for Pandemic Threats”

This GAO report assesses HHS’ COVID-19 response. In this study, GAO found that “Infectious diseases with pandemic potential—such as avian influenza—pose a threat to American lives, national security, and economic interests. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) leads federal diagnostic testing efforts related to such diseases. It must work with public and private stakeholders who, among other things, administer tests and collect data.”

“An expert roundtable GAO convened suggested nearly 100 actions HHS should take to improve diagnostic testing development, deployment, guidance, and data collection for the future. Several actions also cut across these areas. HHS officials said they are taking some steps to improve diagnostic testing related to the actions suggested by experts. For example, to help expand the number of entities able to test during an emergency, HHS has developed guidance for non-traditional laboratories seeking approval to perform testing.”

“Confronting the Non-Communicable Disease Burden in Developing Countries”

From FP Analytics: “As the leading cause of death worldwide, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) will kill an estimated 52 million people annually by 2030. Almost half of this burden can be attributed to cardiometabolic diseases, consisting of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and metabolic conditions such as diabetes, which are anticipated to result in a combined 35.6 million deaths annually by 2050. Though these impacts will be felt globally, three-quarters of NCD deaths are set to occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by 2030, especially in Africa and Asia. Indeed, LMICs will account for 85 percent of premature NCD deaths, stemming from limited access to prevention and treatment compounded by under-resourced and strained health systems. Considering that as much as 80 percent of NCDs can be prevented or delayed into old age through affordable interventions, the high rate of premature death—and high associated costs—represents a major policy failure for developing and wealthy countries alike.”

Read here.

Sequence Screening Tools Pass NIST Test

In this preprint article, “Inter-tool analysis of a NIST dataset for assessing baseline nucleic acid sequence screening,” RTX BBN, Battelle, Aclid, International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science (IBBIS), SecureDNA, Todd Treangen and Signature Science, LLC worked with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to empirically establish a baseline across all of the current deployed nucleic acid synthesis screening tools. NIST constructed a test dataset based on current screening recommendations and then sent blinded datasets to sequence screening tool developers for testing. Overall, there was a general agreement between the tools and NIST assignments of the sequences and all tools had a baseline performance of greater than 95% sensitivity and 97% accuracy.

“2024 Assessment of the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory”

From NASEM: “The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is the U.S. Army’s sole fundamental research laboratory focused on cutting-edge scientific discovery and technological innovations that offer great potential to strengthen the U.S. Army. The mission of ARL is to operationalize science for transformational overmatch in support of persistent Army modernization.”

“At the request of Army, this report examines the following four ARL competencies: biological and biotechnology sciences; network, cyber, and computational sciences; photonics, electronics, and quantum sciences; and sciences of extreme materials. The cross-cutting conclusions for the four competencies assessed in this report focus on encouraging a streamlined administrative approval process to enable conference attendance; creating bilateral forums with industry, academia, and government; continuing cross-pollination efforts through communication and collaboration; and increasing awareness of emerging computational methodologies.”

“Down with the Sickness: Biological Weapons in the Past, Present, and Future”

Michael Redlich recently published this Belfer Center paper: “In this paper I perform a survey of biological weapons. I begin with an overview of the subtypes of biological weapons and investigate the technical considerations associated with their production and deployment. I trace the history of their usage from the 14th century B.C.E. to the present, with particular emphasis on the Biological Weapons Convention of 1972 and biological weapon production since then. Consideration is given to the motivations of states that have chosen to pursue biological weapons. I examine, too, the United States’ biodefense program. In the final section I discuss possible future usage of biological weapons and propose several policy stances to reduce that threat.”

“Responsible Biodesign Workshop: AI, Protein Design, and the Biosecurity Landscape – Recommended Actions”

This preprint was authored by Rivera et al.: “This report presents Recommended Actions from the January 2025 Responsible Biodesign Workshop, which convened leading experts across AI-enabled biomolecular design and biosecurity policy. Building on existing community commitments for the Responsible Development of AI for Protein Design, the Recommended Actions aim to guide scientists, policy practitioners, and funding bodies in ensuring safe and beneficial development of AI-enabled biomolecular design tools. The Recommended Actions focus on advancing AI-Resilient nucleic acid synthesis security screening, assessing the risk-benefit landscape of biomolecular design capabilities, and building fora for sustained engagement between scientists and policy practitioners.”

“MATCH 2.0: A New Ledger for Nonproliferation”

From the Stimson Center: “Every year, States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention declare to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons their trade in dual-use chemicals—substances with legitimate industrial uses that can also be weaponized. Yet year after year, these declarations don’t add up. In reporting for 2023, three-quarters of declared dual-use chemical transfers had discrepancies, representing a risk that some chemicals are unaccounted for and could potentially have been diverted for use as chemical weapons.”

“MATCH 2.0 explores a bold solution: can blockchain-style technology help nonproliferation stakeholders spot and fix these errors before they become risks? Through real-world testing, MATCH 2.0 shows how Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) could help strengthen trust and transparency while preventing the reemergence of chemical weapons.”

Read here.

“Virus Hunter Peter Piot: How a Chance Encounter Sparked His Life Mission”

This piece from Stanford FSI details Peter Piot’s words at the annual Rosenkranz Global health Policy Research Symposium. Piot is famous for his work on Ebola and AIDS. Read here.

What We’re Listening To 🎧

Biosecurity: Changing the Game, “Taking Biological Threats Off The Table Through Next-Generation Global South Leadership (Pt. II)”
“This episode is the second half of Dr. Dinah Nasike’s discussion with a group of next generation leaders who have decided to get involved in taking biological threats off the table by pitching a powerful proposal to the world on the 100 Days Mission: The Biosecurity Emerging Leaders Declaration at the 61st Munich Security Conference.”

Listen here.

NEW: INSPIRE: Readiness – Tackling Public Health Communication Conundrums: Rumors and Public Trust

“Join ASTHO for a timely conversation as we explore strategies to safeguard public health and build public trust. In today’s fast-paced information landscape, misleading rumors pose a serious threat to public health efforts, weakening trust and diminishing effective response. To address this complex issue, this webinar brings together experienced public health champions to share real-world strategies and lessons learned in their communities.”

“This INSPIRE: Readiness session will highlight communication tactics, cross-agency collaborations, and community engagement tools that may be used to help dispel harmful public health rumors. Inaccurate information, whether about vaccines, disease outbreaks, or public health mandates, can spread quickly through social media, word of mouth, or online forums – often overshadowing accurate messages from trusted sources. During this webinar, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to manage public perception during health crises and how to build more resilient systems in the future.”

This event will take place on June 12, 2-3 pm EST. Learn more and register here.

International Pandemic Sciences Conference

“Representatives from academia, industry, civil society and policy are invited to gather in Oxford, UK, and online from 30 June – 1 July 2025 for the International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025.”

“This year’s conference theme, Getting Ahead of the Curve, will explore how we can work together to predict, identify and control epidemic and pandemic threats globally. ”

“Over two days of plenary, parallel and networking sessions, stakeholders from different sectors and communities will have the opportunity to share ideas, experiences and strategies on prediction, early detection and control of pandemic threats. ”

“The International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025 is hosted by the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford.”

Learn more, register, and submit abstracts here.

SBA.4 International Synthetic Biology and Biosecurity Conference in Africa

From SynBio Africa: “The SBA 4.0 conference will serve as a platform for fostering connections among industry, academia, community groups, and policymakers. It will showcase innovative applications of synthetic biology and AI, and highlight ongoing efforts in biomathematics, biomanufacturing, one-health, biosafety and biosecurity. It will also facilitate networking and information exchange. Key focus areas include tackling agriculture, health, environmental management, and industry challenges. In Africa, synthetic biology is poised to drive the national development agenda by promoting a sustainable bioeconomy, supporting health and agricultural systems, and aiding environmental conservation and restoration. This event will provide a vital opportunity for stakeholders to discuss and strategize the integration of synthetic biology innovations, address policy, legal frameworks, and communicate the benefits of the technology.”

This conference will take place July 23-25 in Kigali. Learn more and register here.

CTD-SPECTRE 2nd Annual Symposium 

“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.”

Learn more and register here.

[Training Programme] Disarmament and Non-Proliferation of WMD 2025

From the Asser Institute: “The global non-proliferation norms regarding the use and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction are under pressure. The threat posed by nuclear, chemical and biological weapons has reached levels of urgency not seen since the Cold War. Consequently, there is a growing demand for professionals with the necessary legal, technical and policy expertise to tackle the challenges of today’s non-proliferation and disarmament agenda. Register now for the fifteenth training programme on disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, co-organised with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on 13-17 October 2025 in The Hague.”

“During this intensive training programme, you will receive a comprehensive overview of the international non-proliferation and disarmament framework. You will learn from renowned experts and practitioners in the field and engage in active discussions about key topics and current debates. The programme also provides you with the opportunity to build your professional network with experts in the field, as well as with your fellow participants.”

Learn more and register here.

This week’s Pandora Report covers more updates from HHS, including the MAHA Commission’s report that contained fake citations and RFK Jr.’s threat to ban government scientists from publishing in top medical journals, the US and Argentina’s effort to create an “alternative” to the WHO, and more.

Defining Sequences of Concern for Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening

A distinguished group of biosecurity experts, including  Biodefense Program director Professor Gregory Koblentz, published an article in Applied Biosafety, “The Case for Limiting “Sequences of Concern” to Those with Demonstrated Pathogenic Function,” on how to best use sequences of concern to screen synthetic nucleic acid orders. Screening synthetic nucleic acid orders for sequences of concern is a necessary part of a healthy biosecurity regime, but it exacts costs for nucleic acid providers. Taxonomy is and will remain a critical part of the decision-making process for screening, especially for viral sequences. But, moving forward, the function of a sequence will also be determinative of its level of concern, or lack thereof. Stakeholders continue to debate which functions are “of concern.” However these are ultimately adjudicated, nonviral sequences with unknown or hypothetical functions which, by definition, can bear no resemblance to sequences with concerning functions, must be considered innocent of harmful effects. To qualify as a nonviral sequence of concern, the sequence to which it is the best match must be demonstrated in the published literature to have a function of concern.

HHS Updates

MAHA Report Included Fake Citations, Likely AI Use

The “landmark” report released by the MAHA Commission (led by RFK Jr.) that the administration portrays as a “clear, evidence-based foundation” for actions on children’s health issues includes multiple fake citations. NOTUS first reported that the report included inaccurate citations before The New York Times verified and identified additional fake citations. The use of citations that incorrectly credit an author with a publication or cite non-existent publications is a frequent issue with generative AI, prompting many to suspect it was used in the production of this report. The White House has since blamed this on “formatting errors” and uploaded a new report with corrected citations.

Further Reading:

• “White House MAHA Report May Have Garbled Science by Using AI, Experts Say,” Lauren Webber and Caitlin Gilbert, The Washington Post

Secretary Kennedy Threatens to Ban NIH Scientists from Publishing in Leading Journals, Calls Them “Corrupt”

RFK Jr. continued his assault on institutions that conflict with his worldview this week, this time threatening on a podcast to prevent government scientists from publishing their work in major medical journals. While appearing on the podcast, Ultimate Human, Kennedy described the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and The Lancet as “corrupt,” while claiming that they publish studies that are funded and approved by pharmaceutical companies. Kennedy said, “Unless those journals change dramatically, we are going to stop NIH scientists from publishing in them and we’re going to create our own journals in-house.”

This statement conflicts with prior ones made by the NIH director, Jay Bhattacharya. Bhattacharya recently told WELT that he supports academic freedom, which “means I can send my paper out even if my bosses disagree with me.” Battacharya and the FDA commissioner, Marty Makary, recently launched their own journal, the Journal of the Academy of Public Health, which they claim will promote open discourse.

Further Reading:

• “The Authoritarian War on Science,” Jessica Knurick
• “History May Not be Repeating but It Is Certainly Rhyming,” Fintan Steele, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News
• “Trump’s Call for ‘Gold Standard Science’ Has Prompted an Outcry: Here’s Why,” Jeff Tollefson and Dan Garisto, Nature
• “A Harvard Scientist Built a Database of 2,100 NIH Grant Terminations. Then His Own Funding Was Cut,” Anil Oza, STAT News
• “Gain of Fiction: How COVID Origins Motivated Defunding of U.S. Science,” Gigi Gronvall, Think Global Health
• “Federal Cuts Ripple Through a Bioscience Hub in Rural Montana,” Katheryn Houghton, KFF Health News

RFK Jr. Announces End of COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendation for “Healthy Children and Healthy Pregnant Women”

On Tuesday, Secretary Kennedy announced that HHS will no longer recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy children and pregnant women. In a video posted to X, Kennedy said, “I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that as of today, the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule. Last year, the Biden administration urged healthy children to get yet another COVID shot despite the lack of any clinical data to support the repeat booster strategy in children.”

However, the CDC has not removed the vaccine from the childhood vaccine schedule. Rather, according to an update CDC released on Thursday, the agency says healthy children ages six months to 17 years may get the vaccine provided that parents are “informed by the clinical judgement of a healthcare provider and personal preference and circumstances.” The new schedule does not include a recommendation for healthy pregnant women.

Further Reading:

• “CDC Blindsided as RFK Jr. Changes COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations,” Lena H. Sun, The Washington Post
• “HHS Unilaterally Changes Vaccine Guidance, Providing No Justification, Imperiling American Infants,” E. Rosalie, InfoEpi Lab

CDC Functionally Silenced

HHS has taken over the CDC’s main social media accounts, according to emails reviewed by NPR, and they have gone over a month without posting new content. This comes as many of CDC’s newsletters have stopped being distributed all together, and CDC’s Health Alert Network has not dispatched any health alerts about disease outbreaks since March.

The reason? CDC is now not in control of its own social media and communications. Rather, most CDC communications now require approval from HHS before they can be posted, halting most newsletters and social media communications. Previously, HHS rarely reviewed the content of CDC’s social media posts or newsletters, which allowed CDC to communicate important information quickly and often.

CDC has more than 150 newsletters on a variety of topics that were previously sent weekly, monthly, and quarterly to tens of thousands of subscribers. Facts from these newsletters were often shared on CDC social media accounts, helping further spread important information. Furthermore, CDC’s MMWR was often cross-posted on multiple platforms. This is no longer the case because of this change, and it is having serious impacts on CDC and those who rely on the information it provides by putting political whims before communicating accurate, timely information to the public.

Further Reading:

• “CDC Communication Channels Go Silent, Raising Health Risk Concerns,” CS Staff, Campus Safety
• “Why is the CDC Located in Atlanta and Not D.C.? History Tied to Coca-Cola and Mosquitoes,” Rebecca Grapevine, NPR

Administration Chooses to Remain Silent on E. Coli Outbreak Linked to Single Lettuce Processor

An E. coli outbreak linked to a single lettuce processor that sickened multiple people, and killed a nine-year-old boy in Indiana, was not disclosed publicly by the administration. An internal FDA memo dated February 11 linked the outbreak to the lettuce processor and ranch dressing. However, in what experts have described as a break with common practice, officials never released any public communications about this outbreak following the investigation, including the name of the grower. While the investigation began under the Biden administration, the Trump administration chose to not release this information because, according to the FDA, no more contaminated product remains on the market.

Further Reading:

• “Silence on E. Coli Outbreak Highlights How Trump Team’s Changes Undermine Food Safety,” Stephanie Armour, KFF Health News
• “How Safe is the Food Supply After Federal Cutbacks? Experts Are Worried,” Yuki Noguchi, NPR
• “USDA Withdraws Proposal to Reduce Salmonella in Poultry,” Chris Dall, CIDRAP

HHS Cancels $766 Million Contract for Moderna Bird Flu Vaccine

Moderna was notified this week that HHS has withdrawn funds it awarded to the company in July 2024 and in January 2025 to pay for the development and purchase of its investigational vaccine designed to protect against potential pandemic influenza viruses, including H5N1. The funds were awarded to the company by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. The vaccine, mRNA-1018, relies, as the name implies, on mRNA technology, which has drawn the ire of Secretary Kennedy despite mRNA vaccines like those for COVID-19 having been proven safe and effective.

Further Reading:

• “HHS Cancels $766 Million in Moderns Contracts for Vaccines for Flu Pandemics,” Helen Branswell and Matthew Harper, STAT News

US and Argentina Launching “Alternative” to World Health Organization

The US and Argentina are reportedly in talks to form an “alternative international health system” that is separate from the WHO. In a joint statement released this week, HHS Secretary RFK Jr. and Argentine Minister of Health Mario Lugones commented on their countries’ decisions to withdraw from the WHO. Their statement read in part, ““The WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed serious structural and operational shortcomings that undermined global trust and highlighted the urgent need for independent, science-based leadership in global health.”

It later continued, “There are well-documented concerns regarding the early management of the pandemic and the risks associated with certain types of research. Rather than ensuring timely transparency, the WHO failed to provide critical access to information, impairing countries’ ability to act swiftly and effectively, with devastating global consequences.”

“Young People Will be Key to Preventing the Next Pandemic”

Kirsten Angeles, Jose Garza-Martinez, Yorgo El Moubayed, Shrestha Rath, and Jon Arizti Sanz recently published this piece in The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, writing in part, “The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the implications of this inequality: By late 2021, high-income countries, for example, were averaging more than one vaccine dose per person while low-income countries were administering fewer than four doses per hundred people. And while wealthy countries could develop and distribute vaccines, the African continent, by and large, could not. The recently adopted Pandemic Agreement, emphasizing thing like the need for stronger health systems, better resource sharing, and rapid local manufacturing of vaccines is a step in the right direction, but there is more that still needs to happen to address the world’s uneven ability to prepare for or respond to pandemics. Global health forums like the World Health Assembly, where the pandemic agreement was recently approved, need to fully incorporate the voices and expertise of young people in the Global South, where 90 percent of the world’s 15- to 24-year-olds live.”

“Are We Ready for a ‘DeepSeek for Bioweapons’?”

Steven Adler wrote this piece for LawFare, writing in part, “But, as of last week, we have a leading indicator of widespread models with dangerous capabilities. Specifically, Anthropic’s recent model release—Claude Opus 4—sounded a warning bell: It is the first AI model to demonstrate a certain level of capability related to bioweapons. In particular, Anthropic can’t rule out if the model can “significantly help” relatively ordinary people “create/obtain and deploy” bioweapons: “uplifting” their abilities beyond what they can achieve with other technologies (like a search engine and the internet). These dangerous capability evaluations have been conceived of as an “early warning system” for catastrophic AI capabilities, and the system has now been triggered.”

“The AI Threat to Public Health No One is Thinking About: A Fake Bioterrorist Attack”

Jay K. Varma recently published this opinion piece with STAT News, in which he writes “While I am deeply concerned about the long-term existential threat of AI and synthetic biology to create new or modified pathogens, my extensive experience detecting and controlling outbreaks around the world makes me fear a more immediate threat: a rogue actor using existing AI tools to simulate a bioterrorism attack that would destabilize a region or the world.”

“Cloud Labs and Other New Actors in the Biotechnology Ecosystem: Export Control Challenges and Good Practices in Outreach”

This SIPRI publication was written by Kolja Brockmann, Lauriane Héau and Giovanna Maletta: “The biotechnology ecosystem encompasses an expanding set of companies, start-ups, universities and other research organizations and a vibrant do-it-yourself biology community. Advances in biotechnology and the increasingly diverse profiles of new entrants to the ecosystem pose a range of chemical and biological weapon (CBW) proliferation risks and export control challenges. Among them, cloud laboratories (cloud labs) are an example of a new actor entering the biotechnology ecosystem that is pioneering a new business model. Cloud labs exemplify how developments in emerging technologies converge in a way that poses challenges for the application of export controls. Cloud lab providers offer fully automated, modular laboratories to customers for remote use to perform experiments and increasingly artificial intelligence-enabled research and analyses. Managing the CBW risks posed by cloud labs and other new actors in the biotechnology ecosystem requires awareness by relevant stakeholders and effective export control compliance measures. European Union member states and Australia Group participating states should therefore continue to assess and discuss the development of cloud labs, work to provide relevant guidance materials and develop good practices for conducting outreach activities targeting cloud lab providers and other relevant actors to reduce CBW proliferation risks.”

“The State of the World’s Animal Health”

From WOAH: “An inaugural global overview of animal health in a changing world. Published by The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), the State of the World’s Animal Health provides a clear, evidence-based overview of the global animal health landscape. Drawing on WOAH’s robust data systems and the collective expertise of its Members and scientific network, the report delivers timely, objective analysis to inform action and guide progress toward a healthier, more resilient future for animals and people alike.”

What We’re Watching 🍿

“CB Defense Today: Fieldable Sequencing”
“CB Defense Today is an interview program where experts discuss innovations, technologies, and partnerships pertinent to the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC) and the chemical and biological defense community.”

“In this episode, public affairs specialist Jack Bunja interviews Dr. Cory Bernhards, a research biologist at DEVCOM CBC, about how the Center’s work in DNA and RNA sequencing contributes to the lethality and readiness of warfighters.”

“Dr. Bernhards explains how DEVCOM CBC researchers are developing the capability for DNA and RNA sequencing in forward operating environments for Soldiers. They are also ensuring that all Soldiers can utilize this equipment, regardless of their background or training. Such capabilities enable our warfighters to easily maintain their readiness.”

Watch here.

The Second Annual State of the Science Address

From NASEM: “We invite you to join National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt for the second annual State of the Science address, to be delivered on June 3 [3-5 pm EDT] in Washington, D.C.  The event will explore the current status of the U.S. research enterprise and strategies for navigating a rapidly changing scientific landscape.”

“Register to Attend In Person or Virtually.”

What Does H5N1 Have to Do with the Prices of Eggs?

From NASEM: “The high cost of eggs has been one of the most visible societal impacts of H5N1 bird flu. First detected on U.S. poultry farms in February 2022 and in U.S. dairy cattle in 2024, the deadly bird flu strain has now spread to all fifty states. What are the risks to humans and susceptible animals, like cats?  How are farmers coping with the disease, and what role do state and local officials play? How do costs along the supply chain translate to costs at the grocery store?”

“Join us for our second “Healthy Exchange” webinar in our Special Edition Bird Flu Series on June 3, 2025, from 1:00-2:30 PM ET for an informal discussion and Q&A with three animal health experts who will share their perspectives on managing the spread and impacts of bird flu.”

Register here.

International Pandemic Sciences Conference

“Representatives from academia, industry, civil society and policy are invited to gather in Oxford, UK, and online from 30 June – 1 July 2025 for the International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025.”

“This year’s conference theme, Getting Ahead of the Curve, will explore how we can work together to predict, identify and control epidemic and pandemic threats globally. ”

“Over two days of plenary, parallel and networking sessions, stakeholders from different sectors and communities will have the opportunity to share ideas, experiences and strategies on prediction, early detection and control of pandemic threats. ”

“The International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025 is hosted by the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford.”

Learn more, register, and submit abstracts here.

SBA.4 International Synthetic Biology and Biosecurity Conference in Africa

From SynBio Africa: “The SBA 4.0 conference will serve as a platform for fostering connections among industry, academia, community groups, and policymakers. It will showcase innovative applications of synthetic biology and AI, and highlight ongoing efforts in biomathematics, biomanufacturing, one-health, biosafety and biosecurity. It will also facilitate networking and information exchange. Key focus areas include tackling agriculture, health, environmental management, and industry challenges. In Africa, synthetic biology is poised to drive the national development agenda by promoting a sustainable bioeconomy, supporting health and agricultural systems, and aiding environmental conservation and restoration. This event will provide a vital opportunity for stakeholders to discuss and strategize the integration of synthetic biology innovations, address policy, legal frameworks, and communicate the benefits of the technology.”

This conference will take place July 23-25 in Kigali. Learn more and register here.

CTD-SPECTRE 2nd Annual Symposium 

“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.”

Learn more and register here.

NEW: [Training Programme] Disarmament and Non-Proliferation of WMD 2025

From the Asser Institute: “The global non-proliferation norms regarding the use and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction are under pressure. The threat posed by nuclear, chemical and biological weapons has reached levels of urgency not seen since the Cold War. Consequently, there is a growing demand for professionals with the necessary legal, technical and policy expertise to tackle the challenges of today’s non-proliferation and disarmament agenda. Register now for the fifteenth training programme on disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, co-organised with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on 13-17 October 2025 in The Hague.”

“During this intensive training programme, you will receive a comprehensive overview of the international non-proliferation and disarmament framework. You will learn from renowned experts and practitioners in the field and engage in active discussions about key topics and current debates. The programme also provides you with the opportunity to build your professional network with experts in the field, as well as with your fellow participants.”

Learn more and register here.

New WHO Course on Dual-Use Research and Responsible Use of the Life Sciences

The WHO Academy has made available a new training course designed to deepen your knowledge and enhance your approach to dual-use research and responsible use of the life sciences. This course examines these dual-use research issues and discusses ways to identify and mitigate potential biorisks as part of a multi-sectoral and cooperative approach across the One Health spectrum that promotes the safe, secure and responsible use of the life sciences to prevent accidents, unanticipated and deliberate misuse of biological materials, knowledge and emerging technologies. The course is multifaceted, accessible, adaptable, engaging, and interactive for a wide range of One Health audiences. Biodefense Program director Dr. Gregory Koblentz contributed to the development of the course. It’s a free, self-paced 3-hour course with a certificate of participation upon completion. You can enroll in the course here.

This week’s Pandora Report includes news from the Biodefense Graduate Program, updates on US sanctions against Sudan and EU sanctions against Russia, yet more chaos at HHS, the passage of the landmark Pandemic Agreement, and more.

Schar School Names 2025 Student of the Year Award Winners

“Each year the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University presents awards to the top students in each undergraduate and graduate program. This year, the award winners accepted medals and certificates from their program directors in a family-and-friends ceremony at George Mason’s Krasnow Institute on the Fairfax Campus on Wednesday, May 14, just a few hours before the Schar School Degree Celebration at EagleBank Arena.”

Margeaux Malone (pictured above with Biodefense Graduate Program Director Gregory Koblentz) was this year’s Outstanding Biodefense MS Student. Read more about this year’s winners here.

Biodefense Student Interning at Arms Control Association

Lena Kroepke, a graduate student in the MS Biodefense program at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, has been selected for a summer internship with the Arms Control Association (ACA). The nonpartisan organization is internationally recognized for its critical work in promoting arms control and non-proliferation measures. During her 10-week internship, Lena will contribute to ACA’s research and policy analysis which includes publications in the monthly Arms Control Today journal. The role will allow her to engage with leading experts in the field and to support valuable initiatives that enhance international security by lowering the global threat stemming from weapons of mass destruction.

Attacks on Healthcare Grew in Number in 2024

According to a new report from Safeguarding Health in Conflict, “Epidemic of Violence: Violence Against Health Care in Conflict,” there were more than 3,600 attacks on health workers, hospitals, and clinics in conflict zones around the world last year. This number is 15% higher than those of 2023, and includes things like air, missile, and drone strikes on healthcare facilities, in addition to lootings and takeovers of facilities as well as arrest and detention of health workers.

More than a third of the incidents recorded in this report occurred in Gaza and the West Bank. Hundreds more occurred in places like Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar, and Lebanon. Len Rubenstein, Chair of the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition, describes assaults on health care in conflicts globally as having “reached new levels of horror.”

Further Reading:

• “Attacks on Healthcare in War Zones in 2024 reach ‘New Levels of Horror’-Report,” Kat Lay, The Guardian

Kiribati Accedes to BWC

This week, the Republic of Kiribati deposited its instrument of accession to the Biological Weapons Convention with the United States. The island nation previously participated in the Fourth Session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention as an Observer State last year. Kiribati is now the 189th state to have ratified or acceded to the BWC.

US Set to Sanction Sudan Over CW Use

The US Department of State announced this week that the US will sanction Sudan’s military-led government after determining that it did use chemical weapons last year. While the announcement is brief and lacks details, it does explain that the State Department has notified Congress that Sudan violated the CWC, and that sanctions will be imposed after a fifteen day Congressional notification period. It states that the US determined on April 24, 2025, that, under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991, the Government of Sudan used CW in 2024. The Biden administration previously sanctioned Sudan’s army head, GEN Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who US officials at the time said privately had authorized the use of CW.

EU Announces Sanctions Against Russian Armed Forces for CW Use in Ukraine

The Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine announced this week that the Council has decided to impose additional sanctions on three Russian entities involved in the development and use of CW. These include the Radiological Chemical and Biological Defence Troops, the 27th Scientific Centre, and the 33rd Central Scientific Research and Testing Institute of the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Defence, all of whom are members of the Russian Armed Forces. According to a press release from the Delegation, “This decision was taken in light of the reports issued by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in November 2024 and February 2025, confirming the presence of riot control agents such as chemical CS (2-Chlorobenzalmalononitrile) and related compounds in the samples collected at the frontlines in Ukraine. Such agents have been used as a method of warfare by Russian forces in Ukraine, in breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention, to which Russia is a State Party.”

Further Reading:

• “EU Countries Adopt Four Sets of New Russia Sanctions,” Julia Payne, Reuters

WHO Members Adopt Pandemic Agreement

WHO Member States formally adopted the Pandemic Agreement this week, following three years of intense negotiations aimed at addressing gaps and inequities identified in national and global COVID-19 responses. The Agreement establishes the principles, approaches, and tools for better international coordination across many areas, with the goal of strengthening the global health architecture for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. This includes things like equitable and timely access to vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.

In reference to national sovereignty, the Agreements says, “Nothing in the WHO Pandemic Agreement shall be interpreted as providing the Secretariat of the World Health Organization, including the Director-General of the World Health Organization, any authority to direct, order, alter or otherwise prescribe the national and/or domestic law, as appropriate, or policies of any Party, or to mandate or otherwise impose any requirements that Parties take specific actions, such as ban or accept travellers, impose vaccination mandates or therapeutic or diagnostic measures or implement lockdowns.”

Further Reading:

• “Pandemic Preparedness: WHO Adopts Landmark Agreement,” Matthew Ward Agius, Deutsche Welle
• “With U.S. Absent, WHO Adopts Pandemic Treaty Aimed at Improving Vaccine Access,” Andrew Joseph, STAT News
• “For the First Time, the U.S. is Absent from WHO’s Annual Assembly. What’s the Impact?” Jonathan Lambert, NPR
• “How to Fight the Next Pandemic, Without America,” The Economist

China Set to Donate $500 Million to WHO

In a move that should not surprise anyone, the PRC has pledged $500 million in donations to the WHO, setting the country up to replace the United States as the organization’s top state donor and expanding Beijing’s influence in global health. Liu Guozhong, Vice Premier of the PRC, told the WHA this week that his country his making this contribution to oppose unilateralism, something the PRC often accuses the US of creating and leveraging in international spaces. Liu said in his remarks, “The world is now facing the impacts of unilateralism and power politics, bringing major challenges to global health security…China strongly believes that only with solidarity and mutual assistance can we create a healthy world together.”

What Rhymes With “Mess?” HHS

Kennedy Calls for Global Health Cooperation Outside of the WHO

HHS Secretary RFK Jr. called on Tuesday for other countries to work with the United States on global issues outside of the WHO. This came as he rejected the Pandemic Agreement that WHO members adopted at the WHA. In pre-recorded remarks that were played at the WHA on Tuesday, Kennedy said, “We want to free international health cooperation from the straitjacket of political interference by corrupting influences of the pharmaceutical companies, of adversarial nations and their [non-governmental organization] proxies.” He added “Global cooperation on health is still critically important to President Trump and myself, but it isn’t working very well under the WHO, as the failures of the Covid era demonstrate.” He also called the organization “moribund,” and described it as “mired in bureaucratic bloat”.

Kennedy later accused WHO of succumbing to pressure from the PRC to suppress reports that COVID-19 was transmitted between humans in the early days of the pandemic. He also claimed that the WHO “worked with China to promote the fiction that Covid originated from bats or pangolins, rather than from Chinese government-sponsored research at a biolab in Wuhan,” echoing sentiments from President Trump, who has gone all in on backing the lab leak theory.

Federal Judge Extends Block on HHS Public Health Funds Termination

A ruling from Judge Mary McElroy of the US District court for the District of Rhode Island temporarily extends the restraining order she issued in April to stop the administration from terminating pandemic-era funding to 23 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia. The ruling was released last Friday, once again blocking the administration from clawing back more than $11 billion in public health funding used by state and local health departments. According to state and local health officials, the funding was already in their accounts, and they were allowed to use these funds for non-COVID-19 related priorities, including the measles outbreak. Attorneys suing the administration in this case say HHS acted unlawfully by suddenly ending the grants without analyzing the benefits of the funding and the consequences of its termination.

Bhattacharya Backs Lab Leak Theory at First Town Hall

Jay Bhattacharya, the NIH Director, made remarks this week regarding the lab leak theory of SARS-CoV-2’s origin this week, prompting some NIH staff to walk out of his first town hall at the organization. He said, “It’s possible that the pandemic was caused by research conducted by human beings, and it is also possible that the NIH partly sponsored that research.” This prompted dozens to walk out of the town hall, which was met with applause from others in attendance.

As the applause continued, Bhattacharya continued, saying “It’s nice to have free speech. If it’s true that we sponsored research that caused the pandemic, and if you look at polls of the American people, that’s what most people believe, and I’ve looked at the scientific evidence and I believe it, what we have to do is make sure that we don’t engage in research that is any risk…to human populations,” before touting Trump’s executive order on GoF research.

During his remarks, Bhattacharya also indicated his organization may soon recall some terminated employees, saying he hopes to bring people back from RIFs as needed. Notably, NIH has already recalled some employees, but it has required that another person be RIFed for each one brought back, so the same number of people remain impacted. He also mocked the “five things” emails required by DOGE, calling them silly and unnecessary.

Further Reading:

• “Trump’s Last Minute Gain-of-Function Policy Could Sow Researcher Confusion,” Matt Field, The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
• “Trump’s NIH Chief Lets Loose on Fauci, Vaccines and Covid Cover-Ups,” Tim Röhn, Politico

NIH Grant Rejections Have More Than Doubled Under Trump 2.0

According to reporting from Nature, the NIH has drastically increased the number of grant applications it has rejected since the new administration began. So far this year, at least 2,500 applications for research funding have been withdrawn, a number NIH uses to denote refusal for administrative reasons. This means that more than double the number of applications were withdrawn this year than in the same period in each of the last two years, according to an anonymous NIH official who spoke to Nature. The bulk of the withdrawals appear to have been made because NIH closed about 100 funding categories in February and March, many of which supported researchers from diverse backgrounds or early career investigators.

Further Reading:

• “Trump Has Cut Science Funding to Its Lowest Levels in Decades,” Aatish Bhatia, Irineo Cabreros, Asmaa Elkeurti, and Ehtan Singer, The New York Times
• “The Mystery of Trump’s Science Cuts,” Derek Robertson,” Politico

“Safeguarding Against Biological Weapons”

Schar School associate professor Sonia Ben Ouagrham-Gormley recently published this article in Science, in which she explains of the Biological Weapons Convention, “The lack of a formal verification mechanism has been the greatest weakness of the treaty, allowing signatories such as the Soviet Union and Iraq to violate the agreement for years. A proposal to improve its implementation through on-site inspections was negotiated by state members in the mid-1990s, but it was abruptly shut down in 2001 by the United States, which argued that compliance with the treaty was not verifiable because of the “dual-use” nature of biotechnologies and materials—those with both civilian and military use. The United States failed to recognize at the time that onsite inspections could be powerful instruments of implementation for the Convention because they target two major vulnerabilities of covert bioweapons programs—fragility of bioagents and fear of detection.”

“Trump’s Last Minute Gain-of-Function Policy Could Sow Researcher Confusion”

Matt Field recently published this article in The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. It includes an interview with Biodefense Program Director Gregory Koblentz about Trump’s May 5 executive order requiring an existing policy to either be revised or replaced and what this means for pathogen research.

“A Pandemic Treaty Without Teeth Will Leave Africa and the World Exposed”

Ebere Okereke authored this article for Think Global Health discussing the Pandemic Agreement, writing in part “At first glance, the treaty seems to address the deep structural failures that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed. A closer look, though, reveals a familiar trap: lofty declarations without legal obligations or financial guarantees. Worse, the current geopolitical climate threatens to sap the treaty’s legitimacy and effectiveness before it even comes into force.”

“Fate Unknown: The Pandemic Agreement’s Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing”

Mark Eccleston-Turner, Michelle Rourke, and Stephanie Switzer published this Think Global Health article about pathogen access and benefit sharing (PABS), explaining “Advocates of PABS believe that it will secure pathogen samples for research and development (R&D) and deliver equity by providing a legal mechanism for low- or middle-income countries (LMICs) to access vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics (VTDs) in a competitive pharmaceutical marketplace that often excludes these nations…In our view, PABS ties together “two separate public health resource allocation problems: (1) pathogen and data sharing and (2) pharmaceutical supply and distribution.” Both are vital activities that would be more effectively addressed separately. Nevertheless, WHO member states have chosen to connect these issues through the PABS system, setting themselves the ambitious and possibly unrealistic target of negotiating the PABS annex within one year…”

“Why We Should Seriously Consider Vaccinating Wild Birds to Control Bird Flu”

Lynn C. Klotz recently published this article in The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, writing in part “But by now bird flu is out of the barn, so to speak. It’s infected nearly 500 species of wild birds and mammals ranging from foxes to zoo tigers. It’s time to consider another means of stopping its spread: vaccinating wild birds and, perhaps, other wildlife. By doing so, we will rescue large numbers of animals from a painful death, slow the transmission of infections, and reduce the probability of a pandemic in humans. These outcomes provide reason enough to vaccinate wildlife.“

“Keeping Ahead of Contagion”

Deena Mousa makes the case for making use of airborne pathogen detection in response to H5N1 in this piece for Asimov Press, writing in part “As the bird flu spreads in the United States, the CDC should act with the same urgency it showed after the 2001 anthrax attacks, when it deployed the Laboratory Response Network and launched the BioWatch program. If we can clear these remaining hurdles, real-time pathogen monitoring could become commonplace in just a few years, transforming outbreak response from reactive damage control into proactive prevention.”

“Take a Deep Breath. If You Dare.”

Robert Sullivan discusses Carl Zimmer’s new book, Air-Borne, in this New York Times book review: “‘Air-Borne” shows us how the scientific community came to understand that Covid-19 transmission was less akin to shots from a gun, and more like smog in a valley. To explain, Zimmer takes us through the history of aerobiology, and in his detailed and gripping account, he ascribes the reluctance of both the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization to a bias born of an ancient battle between two factions known as “miasmatists” and “contagionists.”’

“Did Horses Act as Intermediate Hosts That Facilitated the Emergence of 1918 Pandemic Influenza?”

Martin Furmanski and Pablo R Murcia published this article in The Journal of Infectious Diseases: “The ecological factors that led to the 1918 influenza pandemic remain unknown. We hypothesize that horses acted as intermediate hosts spreading a prepandemic avian-origin virus before 1918. This is supported by reports describing a large epizootic of unusually severe equine influenza beginning in 1915. Furthermore, the high horse demand during World War I resulted in one of the biggest equine mobilizations in North America between 1914 and 1918. This extensive movement of horses provided abundant opportunities for virus reassortment between prepandemic avian and human influenza viruses. Archived equine tissues or serum samples will be needed to test this hypothesis.”

“Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Respiratory Protection Handbook”

From CDC: “This handbook updates the original CBRN Respiratory Protection Handbook Publication No. 2018-166. It reflects new and emerging chemical and radiological hazards information identified during a recent hazard assessment conducted by NIOSH, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Defense.  As a result of this hazard assessment, NIOSH expanded its CBRN APR Protection List to capture additional hazards that NIOSH Approved® APRs with CBRN canisters would provide protection against. The changes to NIOSH’s CBRN APR Protection List are captured in Chapter 2, Table 2-1. Additionally, changes in Chapter 3 reflect updates to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards involving respirators with CBRN protections.”

What We’re Watching 🍿

‘”I Just Wish We Could Tell a Story of What Works”: An Epidemiologist Reviews Outbreak Movies”

“Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center and Professor of Epidemiology at Brown University, reviews depictions of epidemics in Twilight (2008), The Last of Us (2023), Outbreak (1995), and Contagion (2011), and discusses how they relate to real public health systems today.”

Watch here.

ICYMI: Defense Meets Biotech – Cutting-Edge Frontlines: BI Webinar Replay
From Bloomberg: “The Department of Defense has placed special emphasis on Biotechnology as they fund critical emerging technologies that support manufacturing at the cutting edge. Dr. Kate Sixt discusses just how important this office really is to National Security and the efforts being made in this critical technology area.”

Watch this recording here.

The Second Annual State of the Science Address

From NASEM: “We invite you to join National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt for the second annual State of the Science address, to be delivered on June 3 [3-5 pm EDT] in Washington, D.C.  The event will explore the current status of the U.S. research enterprise and strategies for navigating a rapidly changing scientific landscape.”

“Register to Attend In Person or Virtually.”

What Does H5N1 Have to Do with the Prices of Eggs?

From NASEM: “The high cost of eggs has been one of the most visible societal impacts of H5N1 bird flu. First detected on U.S. poultry farms in February 2022 and in U.S. dairy cattle in 2024, the deadly bird flu strain has now spread to all fifty states. What are the risks to humans and susceptible animals, like cats?  How are farmers coping with the disease, and what role do state and local officials play? How do costs along the supply chain translate to costs at the grocery store?”

“Join us for our second “Healthy Exchange” webinar in our Special Edition Bird Flu Series on June 3, 2025, from 1:00-2:30 PM ET for an informal discussion and Q&A with three animal health experts who will share their perspectives on managing the spread and impacts of bird flu.”

Register here.

International Pandemic Sciences Conference

“Representatives from academia, industry, civil society and policy are invited to gather in Oxford, UK, and online from 30 June – 1 July 2025 for the International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025.”

“This year’s conference theme, Getting Ahead of the Curve, will explore how we can work together to predict, identify and control epidemic and pandemic threats globally. ”

“Over two days of plenary, parallel and networking sessions, stakeholders from different sectors and communities will have the opportunity to share ideas, experiences and strategies on prediction, early detection and control of pandemic threats. ”

“The International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025 is hosted by the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford.”

Learn more, register, and submit abstracts here.

SBA.4 International Synthetic Biology and Biosecurity Conference in Africa

From SynBio Africa: “The SBA 4.0 conference will serve as a platform for fostering connections among industry, academia, community groups, and policymakers. It will showcase innovative applications of synthetic biology and AI, and highlight ongoing efforts in biomathematics, biomanufacturing, one-health, biosafety and biosecurity. It will also facilitate networking and information exchange. Key focus areas include tackling agriculture, health, environmental management, and industry challenges. In Africa, synthetic biology is poised to drive the national development agenda by promoting a sustainable bioeconomy, supporting health and agricultural systems, and aiding environmental conservation and restoration. This event will provide a vital opportunity for stakeholders to discuss and strategize the integration of synthetic biology innovations, address policy, legal frameworks, and communicate the benefits of the technology.”

This conference will take place July 23-25 in Kigali. Learn more and register here.

CTD-SPECTRE 2nd Annual Symposium 

“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.”

Learn more and register here.

New WHO Course on Dual-Use Research and Responsible Use of the Life Sciences

The WHO Academy has made available a new training course designed to deepen your knowledge and enhance your approach to dual-use research and responsible use of the life sciences. This course examines these dual-use research issues and discusses ways to identify and mitigate potential biorisks as part of a multi-sectoral and cooperative approach across the One Health spectrum that promotes the safe, secure and responsible use of the life sciences to prevent accidents, unanticipated and deliberate misuse of biological materials, knowledge and emerging technologies. The course is multifaceted, accessible, adaptable, engaging, and interactive for a wide range of One Health audiences. Biodefense Program director Dr. Gregory Koblentz contributed to the development of the course. It’s a free, self-paced 3-hour course with a certificate of participation upon completion. You can enroll in the course here.

This week’s Pandora Report includes news from the Biodefense Graduate Program, updates on how foreign aid cuts are continuing to impact organizations like the WHO, discussion of the United States’ measles outbreak, and more.

Biodefense MS Information Session

“Prospective students are invited to attend a information session to hear more about the Biodefense M.S. program offered at the Schar School. The online session will provide an overview of the program, as well as the application process, student experience and graduate outcomes. This session admissions will be led by the Graduate Admissions team.”

This session will take place on Tuesday, May 20 at 12 pm EDT. Register here.

Biodefense Graduate Program Celebrates Spring 2025 Graduation

The Biodefense Graduate Program at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason congratulates the following students for graduating on May 14 with a Master of Science in Biodefense: Samanta Aiken, Tracy Baughman, Diandra Cruz, Alex Delaney, Liesl Jensen, Margeaux Malone, Rachel Nas, Zaccary Saine, Myriam Sakly, Gioia Salamido, Christine Woods, and Yoftahie Zewdie. The program also congratulates Renee Katz, Brent Lee, and Matthew Stoffer for receiving a Certificate in Biodefense, Melissa Cox and Renee Katz for receiving a Certificate in Global Health and Security, and Sarah Certel and Dawie Tola for receiving a Certificate in Science, Technology, and Security. In addition, Margeaux Malone was named the Outstanding Biodefense MS student of the year for her stellar academic record and commitment to bridging the gap between science and policy to strengthen our defenses against zoonotic biological threats.

Biodefense Professor Receives Inaugural Schar School Adjunct Teaching Award

Dr. Katalin “Kati” Kiss received the Schar School’s inaugural award for adjunct teaching at this year’s graduation and award ceremony. Dr. Kiss is the longest-serving adjunct professor in the Biodefense Graduate Program, having taught BIOD 604: Emerging Infectious Diseases: Bacteria and Toxins since Fall 2015. This is a core course in the program that covers the biology and epidemiology of key biological threats from anthrax to Zika. Dr. Kiss has designed her course to be comprehensive and rigorous and yet provide students without a strong scientific background with the foundational knowledge they need to assess the risks posed by different bacterial and toxin threats. Students widely praise Dr. Kiss in their feedback such as “The professor made this class easy to understand especially for those without a science background” and “Dr. Kiss is amazing at explaining course concepts in a way that is easy to understand and entertaining at the same time.” Dr. Kiss also regularly serves on the qualifying exam committee for Biodefense doctoral students and has served as a mentor to numerous Biodefense students. Dr. Kiss has taught this course while conducting and managing research related to biodefense for the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). As a result, Dr. Kiss has direct experience with several of the biological threats she teaches about which provides students with a unique perspective on the science of biodefense. 

Schar School Hosting Major Terrorism Conference

George Mason University, in partnership with the Government Technology and Services Coalition’s Homeland Security Today, will host the inaugural “Counterterrorism 2025: Terrorism Trends, Tactics, and Targets” summit on Tuesday, June 3 in Arlington, Virginia. Convened by the Global Terrorism Trends and Analysis Center (GTTAC) at the Schar School of Policy and Government’s Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC), this full-day event will examine the evolving landscape of global terrorism and the innovative strategies being developed to address this threat. Experts from across sectors will engage in discussions on emerging threats, including international and state-sponsored terrorism, lone actors, and newly designated groups such as Mexican cartels and transnational gangs. Key sessions will cover the use of cyber tools, drones, IEDs, and the potential threat of weapons of mass destruction. The summit will also highlight the role of data analytics, information sharing, and counter-narrative strategies in modern counterterrorism efforts, with a special focus on the work of GTTAC in supporting the U.S. Department of State’s global terrorism analysis. Biodefense Program director Dr. Gregory Koblentz will be moderating the panel on emerging technology and terrorism. For more information and to register, please visit this site.

Funding Cuts and Other Issues Continue to Pose Challenges to Foreign Aid and Relevant Organizations

WHO Scales Back, Announces Leadership Changes

The WHO recently announced it has reduced its management team by half as it prepares to scale back operations, four months after the US announced it will withdraw from the organization and slash its funding. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told attendees at a budget committee hearing, “To be blunt, we cannot do everything,” as his organization faces a 21% budget cut for 2026-27.

A new WHO leadership team has also been announced that is much smaller than previous leadership teams have been. This change has also removed some long-standing leaders, including Mike Ryan, Deputy Director General and Emergencies Programme Director, and Bruce Aylward, Senior Advisor to the Director-General. These and other changes to key leadership are set to go into effect on June 16.

Foreign Aid Cuts Threaten Women’s Organizations Globally

UN Women recently published its latest report, “At a Breaking Point: The Impact of Foreign Aid Cuts on Women’s Organizations in Humanitarian Crises Worldwide.” The report uses the results of a rapid global survey that was conducted among 411 women-led and women’s rights organizations across 44 crisis contexts, ultimately finding that 90% of surveyed organizations have been impacted by funding cuts.

These cuts are pushing these organizations to their limits. 47% of those surveyed are expected to shutter within six months if their current funding situation persists. 51% have already been forced to suspend programs, including those that help support survivors of gender-based violence. Furthermore, 72% have had to lay off staff, many significantly so.

As UN Women highlights, 308 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across more than 70 countries. This figure continues to rise amid escalating conflicts, climate change, food insecurity, and disease outbreaks. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by crisis, suffering from high rates of sexual violence, malnutrition, and preventable pregnancy-related deaths, among other things. These foreign aid cuts come at a time of greater needs, placing an especially severe burden on women and girls globally.

US Cuts $50 Million in Medical Aid to Zambia

US Ambassador to the Republic of Zambia, Michael Gonzales, tearfully announced this week that the US will cut $50 million in aid to Zambia for medications and medical supplies. However, this cut is not the result of the Trump administration’s broad cuts to foreign aid. Rather, this is the result of a lack of action on the behalf of the Zambian government after it was discovered in 2021 that donated medical supplies were being stolen. In fact, between 2021 and 2023, the US embassy sent “buyers” to more than 2,000 pharmacies across the country, focusing on those that sold the same kinds of drugs being donated by the US. They determined that 95% of these pharmacies were selling stolen drugs, with 45% selling drugs that were given to Zambia by the US for free for Zambians in need.

Ambassador Gonzales expressed frustration, explaining that the embassy met with representatives of the Zambian government 33 times in relation to this issue. He said that there was minimal action, with only a couple mid-level officials being arrested. He did also explain that the $50 million cut will not take effect until the end of the year, hopefully giving the Zambian government time to find alternative procurement avenues.

The ambassador said in a statement, “I’ve lost sleep over this. I’ve cried over this because I know that it’s not going to be senior officials or the senior people who are getting rich from this, who are going to hurt. I know it’s going to be the poor family in rural Zambia whose baby gets malaria and they won’t have access to antimalarials. It breaks my heart…But, I also have a duty to the American people, to the American taxpayer, to safeguard and ensure the good use of these resources.”

The US provides about $600 million in aid to Zambia annually, $450 million of which goes to health-related efforts. This has been extremely effective, with 98% of HIV-positive people in the country now aware of their status, and 99% of those on medication for the virus. Approximately 11% of the country is HIV-positive. More than half of the country lives below the international poverty line.

Further Reading:

• “How Hard Are USAID Cuts Hitting Africa’s Health Care?” Silja Fröhlich, Deutsche Welle
• “Gates Can’t Do It Alone,” Carmen Paun, Politico
• “How US Funding Cuts Could Derail Years of Progress in Burundi’s HIV Response,” UNAIDS
• “Brown Professor Sounds an Alarm: An Interview with Dr. Craig Spencer,” Matthew Kotcher, Brown Political Review

US Surpasses 1,000 Measles Cases

The number of measles cases in the US has risen to 1,024 as of today, with cases being reported across 30 states, including Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

This is the first time in five years that the US has surpassed 1,000 cases, with the country now nearing the total number seen in 2019 when 1,274 cases were confirmed across the country over the course of the year. The CDC reports that 13% of measles patients in the US this year have been hospitalized, many of whom are under the age of 19. The CDC also reports that about 96% of cases are in unvaccinated people, while 1% are in those who have only received one dose of the MMR vaccine, and 2% are in those who received both doses. One dose is considered 93% effective, and two are considered 97% effective against measles.

Further Reading:

• “Unpacking RFK Jr.’s ‘Doublespeak’ on Vaccines,” Lauren Weber, The Washington Post
• “RFK Jr. Says People Shouldn’t Take His Medical Advice When Asked About Vaccines at Hearing,” Sara Moniuszko, CBS News
• “Trump Health Cuts Create ‘Real Danger’ Around Disease Outbreaks, Workers Warn,” Michael Sainato, The Guardian

Administration Cut $2.7 Billion in NIH Research Funding in First Three Months of 2025

A new committee report by the Senate HELP Committee’s minority staff criticizes the Trump administration for what the report calls its “war on science,” including termination of research funding, firing of thousands of federal employees, and removal of scientific data and guidelines from government websites. The report also claims that the administration cut $2.7 billion in research funding at the NIH through March, a figure much larger than previous estimates that put the number at about $1.8 billion.

The report also criticizes the administration for suppressing what scientists can say, controlling how scientists work together and make decisions, and erasing scientific data. Other key criticisms include failing to provide committee minority staff with any details in writing about mass firings within agencies and the functions fired employees served (despite multiple requests), as well as the administration’s undermining of the importance of vaccines in regards to the measles outbreak.

Further Reading:

• “Trump’s ‘Fear Factor’: Scientists Go Silent as Funding Cuts Escalate,” Warren Cornwall, Science
• “RFK Jr., DOGE Gutted Legally Required Offices. Courts May Undo It All.” Alice Miranda Ollstein and Sophie Gardner, Politico
• “The Hidden Ways Trump, DOGE are Shutting Down Parts of the U.S. Government,” Hannah Natanson and Maxine Joselow, The Washington Post
• “Importance of Reinstating CDC’s Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC),” The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America

“Rapid National Response to Smallpox Attack in the United States”

The article “Rapid National Response to Smallpox Attack in the United States” by Biodefense MS alumnus Zachary Berliner (‘24) was recently published in Volume 21 of the Michigan Journal of Public Affairs (p. 53-61). In this analysis, based on a paper he wrote for Scott Wollek’s BIOD 710: Health Security Preparedness course, Zachary begins by briefly discussing the history of smallpox eradication and the investigations into the use of the variola virus as a bioweapon. The article then depicts the potential risks of future attacks and outbreaks, outlining the American population’s immunological vulnerability; the dual-use research of concern studies of Jackson et al. (2001), Rosengard et al. (2002), and Noyce et al. (2018); and the American government’s failures to adequately respond to the recent COVID-19 and mpox pandemics. He continues by describing the current structure of the government’s smallpox response and by highlighting its shortcomings. The post concludes with three major policy reforms. First, “the US government should sign a new, substantial contract with Bavarian Nordic, the [Jynneos] vaccine’s manufacturer” to make Jynneos the primary smallpox vaccine stored in the Strategic National Stockpile. Second, “the CDC should create a Rapid National Reporting Window that local health departments can use to report cases of smallpox and other diseases of bioterrorism risk directly to the CDC.” This Window will reduce bureaucratic gridlock in the pursuit of a federal outbreak response. Finally, Zachary proposes a Rapid National Response that “[resolves] the cooperation and efficiency issues” between SLTT health departments, CDC, ASPR, FEMA, HHS, DHS, and doctors by reducing redundancies. “With the implementation of these proposed policies, the United States government will be better equipped to respond efficiently to a smallpox attack and reduce civilian suffering.”  

Along with his Biodefense MS, Zachary Berliner also holds an ScM in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is presently looking for policy and analysis opportunities focused on biodefense and health security, and he also has interests in counterterrorism and weapons of mass destruction. 

“Identifying and Closing Gaps in the Federal Select Agent Program”

“In this report, RAND researchers provide an overview of expert-elicited gaps in the Federal Select Agent Program (FSAP) and suggested mitigation measures for those gaps. FSAP is one way in which the federal government attempts to keep researchers and the public safe from harmful pathogens. FSAP regulates the possession, use, and transfer of dangerous biological materials. Responsibilities include setting security standards for facilities and individuals working with those materials, assessing risk and reporting the standards and limitations on the type of work that can be conducted, performing inspections and investigating incidents of noncompliance, and mandating the requirements for the destruction of materials after work with them has concluded.”

Biodefense PhD program alumna Saskia Popescu co-authored this report.

“A Bio-Responsibility Strategy for Gain-of-Function Research Oversight”

Texas A&M’s Ben C. Snyder recently published this piece with Think Global Health, writing in part, “After more than a decade of debate over whether gain-of-function research poses unacceptable risks or provides valuable scientific and public health benefits that justify the risks, the executive order creates an opportunity to move past those disagreements. To do so, policymakers and scientists should advocate for a new independent agency devoted to bio-responsibility that can develop integrated, risk-based, and flexible models for U.S. government oversight of pathogen research.”

What We’re Listening to 🎧

Biosecurity: Changing the Game, Ep. 5, Taking Biological Threats Off the Table Through Next-Generation Global South Leadership

“In this episode, Dr. Dinah Nasike brings together a group of next generation leaders who have decided to get involved in taking biological threats off the table by pitching a powerful proposal to the world on the 100 Days Mission: The Biosecurity Emerging Leaders Declaration at the 61st Munich Security Conference.”

Listen here.

ICYMI: 2025 state of U.S. Biodefense Address

From the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense: “Commission Executive Director Dr. Asha M. George delivered the first annual State of National Biodefense address. The increasing biological threat and uncertainty surrounding federal biodefense programs and capabilities necessitates a clear-eyed examination of the threat and US efforts to address critical capability gaps. This address lays out the current realities of national biodefense and the Commission’s vision for a future where the Nation can more effectively prevent, deter, prepare for, detect, respond to, attribute, recover from, and mitigate biological incidents.”

Watch the address recording here.

NEW: Biosecurity: A Priority in the Era of Pandemics and AI

From PAN: “The risks of new pandemic threats are compounding. Zoonotic spillover and uncontained outbreaks are well-known risks that are not yet well enough addressed. Today, focus must also turn to biosecurity and biosafety risks. Beyond naturally occurring infectious disease threats, the risks of a manmade pandemic — by accident or by design — must be mitigated.”

“Pandemic Action Network (PAN) and The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response will convene a public event, Biosecurity: A Priority in the Era of Pandemics and AI, on the sidelines of WHA78 to discuss opportunities and risks in our evolving global health, technological, and geopolitical landscape, and offer concrete next steps to prioritise biosecurity and biosafety efforts needed to keep the world safe and secure.”

This event will take place on May 21, 0700-0800 CET in Geneva. Register here.

NEW: The Second Annual State of the Science Address

From NASEM: “We invite you to join National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt for the second annual State of the Science address, to be delivered on June 3 [3-5 pm EDT] in Washington, D.C.  The event will explore the current status of the U.S. research enterprise and strategies for navigating a rapidly changing scientific landscape.”

“Register to Attend In Person or Virtually.”

NEW: What Does H5N1 Have to Do with the Prices of Eggs?

From NASEM: “The high cost of eggs has been one of the most visible societal impacts of H5N1 bird flu. First detected on U.S. poultry farms in February 2022 and in U.S. dairy cattle in 2024, the deadly bird flu strain has now spread to all fifty states. What are the risks to humans and susceptible animals, like cats?  How are farmers coping with the disease, and what role do state and local officials play? How do costs along the supply chain translate to costs at the grocery store?”

“Join us for our second “Healthy Exchange” webinar in our Special Edition Bird Flu Series on June 3, 2025, from 1:00-2:30 PM ET for an informal discussion and Q&A with three animal health experts who will share their perspectives on managing the spread and impacts of bird flu.”

Register here.

Pandemic Readiness in an Uncertain World

From the Geneva Graduate Institute: “Based on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (The Independent Panel) recommended a package of evidence-based reforms as a blueprint for transforming global pandemic prevention, preparedness and response systems. Since delivering their main report, the Independent Panel Co-Chairs – Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the Right Honourable Helen Clark – along with several members have continued to advocate for implementation of the package.”

“While some progress has been made since 2021, it has been uneven and insufficient, and today dangerous gaps remain in national, regional and global systems to prevent, prepare for, and respond to emerging infectious disease threats. Political leadership has waned to dangerously low levels. This year has been tumultuous, and the level of uncertainty presents wide-ranging consequences for achieving a world safe from the threat of another pandemic.”

“Yet despite the challenging geopolitical landscape, the World Health Organization (WHO) Member States have reached consensus on a proposal for a pandemic agreement, which will now be put to the 78th World Health Assembly for adoption. This is a critical moment, but leadership and continued action are needed to protect the world from pandemic threats.”

“Informed by four new policy briefs developed by The Independent Panel, this event will engage leaders and experts in an open conversation about the prospect of delivering pandemic preparedness and response reforms over the next 12-18 months, delving into global and regional challenges, barriers to progress, and potential levers for change.”

This hybrid event will take place on May 20, 12-2 pm CEST. Learn more and register here.

Biosecurity: A Priority in the Era of Pandemics and AI

From PAN: “The risks of new pandemic threats are compounding. Zoonotic spillover and uncontained outbreaks are well-known risks that are not yet well enough addressed. Today, focus must also turn to biosecurity and biosafety risks. Beyond naturally occurring infectious disease threats, the risks of a manmade pandemic — by accident or by design — must be mitigated.”

“Pandemic Action Network (PAN) and The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response will convene a public event, Biosecurity: A Priority in the Era of Pandemics and AI, on the sidelines of WHA78 to discuss opportunities and risks in our evolving global health, technological, and geopolitical landscape, and offer concrete next steps to prioritise biosecurity and biosafety efforts needed to keep the world safe and secure.”

This event will take place on May 21, 07.00-09.00 CET. Learn more and register here.

Assessing Research Security Efforts in Higher Education, A Workshop

“The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine cordially invites you to attend a workshop to consider potential measures of effectiveness and performance, and the data needed, to assess research security and protection efforts in higher education by a range of Federal agencies.”

“The workshop will be held on Thursday, May 22, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM U.S. Eastern and Friday, May 23, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM U.S. Eastern at the National Academy of Sciences Building, 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20418.  A remote participation option is available.”

Learn more and register here.

International Pandemic Sciences Conference

“Representatives from academia, industry, civil society and policy are invited to gather in Oxford, UK, and online from 30 June – 1 July 2025 for the International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025.”

“This year’s conference theme, Getting Ahead of the Curve, will explore how we can work together to predict, identify and control epidemic and pandemic threats globally. ”

“Over two days of plenary, parallel and networking sessions, stakeholders from different sectors and communities will have the opportunity to share ideas, experiences and strategies on prediction, early detection and control of pandemic threats. ”

“The International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025 is hosted by the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford.”

Learn more, register, and submit abstracts here.

SBA.4 International Synthetic Biology and Biosecurity Conference in Africa

From SynBio Africa: “The SBA 4.0 conference will serve as a platform for fostering connections among industry, academia, community groups, and policymakers. It will showcase innovative applications of synthetic biology and AI, and highlight ongoing efforts in biomathematics, biomanufacturing, one-health, biosafety and biosecurity. It will also facilitate networking and information exchange. Key focus areas include tackling agriculture, health, environmental management, and industry challenges. In Africa, synthetic biology is poised to drive the national development agenda by promoting a sustainable bioeconomy, supporting health and agricultural systems, and aiding environmental conservation and restoration. This event will provide a vital opportunity for stakeholders to discuss and strategize the integration of synthetic biology innovations, address policy, legal frameworks, and communicate the benefits of the technology.”

This conference will take place July 23-25 in Kigali. Learn more and register here.

CTD-SPECTRE 2nd Annual Symposium 

“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.”

Learn more and register here.

NEW: New WHO Course on Dual-Use Research and Responsible Use of the Life Sciences

The WHO Academy has made available a new training course designed to deepen your knowledge and enhance your approach to dual-use research and responsible use of the life sciences. This course examines these dual-use research issues and discusses ways to identify and mitigate potential biorisks as part of a multi-sectoral and cooperative approach across the One Health spectrum that promotes the safe, secure and responsible use of the life sciences to prevent accidents, unanticipated and deliberate misuse of biological materials, knowledge and emerging technologies. The course is multifaceted, accessible, adaptable, engaging, and interactive for a wide range of One Health audiences. Biodefense Program director Dr. Gregory Koblentz contributed to the development of the course. It’s a free, self-paced 3-hour course with a certificate of participation upon completion. You can enroll in the course here.

OPCW-The Hague Award 2025 Open for Nominations

“The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in partnership with the City of The Hague has opened a call for nominations for the 2025 OPCW-The Hague Award. Full details of the eligibility criteria and requirements for nominations, as well as the online nomination form, are now available on the OPCW official website.”

Learn more about the award here.

WHO in Action – WHO Pandemic Fund Newsletter

The WHO recently created a newsletter providing updates on its Pandemic Fund and the projects it has in more than 70 countries focused on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response activities. The first newsletter is available here and introduces the Pandemic Fund Navigator, shares stories from Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Togo, and Yemen, and more. Subscribe here.

Blurb

Biodefense MS Information Session

“Prospective students are invited to attend a information session to hear more about the Biodefense M.S. program offered at the Schar School. The online session will provide an overview of the program, as well as the application process, student experience and graduate outcomes. This session admissions will be led by the Graduate Admissions team.”

This session will take place on Tuesday, May 20 at 12 pm EDT. Register here.

UNAIDS to Slash Workforce

UNAIDS, the UN agency that fights HIV/AIDS globally, is set to cut its workforce by more than half in addition to moving many of its postings to cheaper locations. This is the result of drastic funding cuts from donors like the US as well as countries in Asia and Europe, according to the agency. UNAIDS warned previously that, unless support for its efforts are restored soon, more than six million more people could die from AIDS in the next four years, and an addition 2,000 people per day could be infected with HIV.

Genetic Study Finds SARS-CoV-2 Originated in Wildlife Trade

In a study published Wednesday (“The Recency and Geographical Origins of the Bat Viruses Ancestral to SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2“), researchers compared the evolution of SARS with that of COVID-19 nearly two decades later. They analyzed the genomes of both SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2, in addition to nearly 250 related coronaviruses in bats and other mammals. They determined that fragments of the human SARS-CoVs share very recent common ancestors with bat viruses, that both SARS-CoV-1-like and SARS-CoV-2-like viruses have circulated in Asia for millennia, that recent ancestors of human SARS-CoV-s likely circulated in western China and northern Laos, and that these ancestors traveled unexpectedly fast to reach sites of human emergence. Importantly, the authors note that, “We find that the direct ancestors of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 are unlikely to have reached their respective sites of emergence via dispersal in the bat reservoir alone, supporting interactions with intermediate hosts through wildlife trade playing a role in zoonotic spillover.”

This research comes at a time when the current administration is treating the lab leak theory like a given. Last month, the White House created a new webpage called “Lab Leak: The True Origin of Covid 19” which is now the landing page for sites once dedicated to providing information about COVID-19 and access to COVID-19 test kits. The White House further described the lab leak theory as “confirmed” last Friday, using it as a justification to cut $18 billion to NIH in response to what it described as NIH’s “inability to prove that its grants to the Wuhan Institute of Virology were not complicit in such a possible leak.”

Further Reading:

• “Tulsi Gabbard is Out to Prove Covid Came From a Lab,” Erin Schumaker, Politico

Trump Issues EO Restricting Federal Funding for GoF Research

President Trump signed an executive order this week that promises greater transparency on gain of function research, worse penalties for scientists who violate federal rules and guidelines, and a ban on federal funding for GoF research in countries of concern, such as the PRC. The move has been praised by some who worry that GoF research could lead to outbreaks or even a pandemic. Donald Trump likes to claim that this is how the COVID-19 pandemic began. However, others worry that the Trump administration has used too broad and vague of a definition of GoF, leading to concern that it could trap important low risk studies in its wide net.

Science discussed the new EO with GMU Biodefense Graduate Program Director Gregory Koblentz, who explained that, given Trump’s willingness to use federal research funding as a weapon in other battles, the EO could cause substantial problems for legitimate pathogen research. He said, “There is a high likelihood that research institutions will simply curtail such research for fear of running afoul of poorly worded policies and regulations that would impose draconian penalties on the institution.” He later explained that it is unclear how many extra layers of review and oversight academic researchers and their institutions can even manage amid massive budget cuts.

Further Reading:

• “Trump Moves to Tighten Rules on Risky Research on Viruses, Bacteria, and Toxins,” Kai Kupferschmidt, Science
• “How the Trump Administration’s Ban on Gain-of-Function Research Undermines Pandemic Preparedness,” Global Biodefense Staff, Global Biodefense
• “Pausing Research Not a Path to Better Biosafety & Biosecurity,” American Society for Microbiology

MilliporeSigma to Add Temporary Tariff Surcharges to Products Shipped to US

One of the largest suppliers of medical research products, MilliporeSigma, recently announced it will be adding a temporary tariff surcharge to any product orders it ships to the United States. MilliporeSigma has yet to release the exact percentage of the surcharge, nor indicate how long it may last. As one of the largest medical research suppliers, this decision will have strong impacts on many labs, pharmaceutical companies, and research institutions.

HHS to Invest Half a Billion Dollars in NIH Vaccine Project

HHS is reportedly planning to invest $500 million in a project it calls “Generation Gold Standard,” which will aim to develop a universal-vaccine technology to protect against multiple strains of viruses all at once. The catch? The administration plans to base this universal vaccine platform on a β-propiolactone-inactivated (BPL-inactivated) whole-virus approach. This is a method that requires killing whole viruses using BPL and then using these viruses in inactivated vaccines.

Not only is this an old approach, but the concept of a universal flu vaccine is also nothing new. This move has left some scientists concerned that HHS is putting all of its eggs into one basket that has yet to be particularly successful despite strong efforts. Furthermore, this investment in the BPL platform represents a massive shift away from federal investments in mRNA vaccines, which were at the core of the success of Operation Warp Speed.

In a press release, NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya said, “Generation Gold Standard is a paradigm shift…It extends vaccine protection beyond strain-specific limits and prepares for flu viral threats – not just today’s, but tomorrow’s as well – using traditional vaccine technology brought into the 21st century.”

Further Reading:

• “Scientists Question NIH Project’s Use of 20th Century Technology to Make a Universal Flu Vaccine,” Helen Branswell, STAT News
• “‘It’s All Cronyism Going Forward,‘” Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic
• “US Halts Funding for New COVID-19 Vaccines,” Max Barnhart, C&EN

NIH Continued to Cut Research Grants Event After Judge Blocked Cuts

The NIH terminated $1.8 billion in grants in less than 40 days as part of the administration’s effort to shrink the federal government and its spending, targeting, among other things, studies related to gender identity and gender affirming care. NIH continued to terminate grants, it seems, despite a federal judge ordering the administration to stop cutting funding related to gender identity and the provision of gender affirming care. This preliminary injunction was created in response to the president’s executive order requiring NIH to terminate such funding. Lawyers for the federal government have claimed in court that the administration has complied with the judge’s order.

Reporting from ProPublica describes how the Washington attorney general alleges the Trump administration violated this court order. The article explains, “Nearly two weeks after the court’s preliminary injunction was issued, the National Institutes of Health’s then-acting head, Dr. Matthew J. Memoli, drafted a memo that details how the agency, in response to Trump’s executive orders, cut funding for research grants that “promote or inculcate gender ideology.” An internal spreadsheet of terminated NIH grants also references “gender ideology” and lists the number associated with Trump’s executive order as the reason for the termination of more than a half dozen research grants.”

As ProPublica notes, other documents that have been filed in the case raise concerns about the role of the Department of Government Efficiency and its limited authority, as it is supposed to mostly act as an advisory body. However, in depositions filed in the case, multiple NIH officials testified that DOGE itself is who gave directions in hundreds of NIH grant terminations. This, along with the administration apparently ignoring yet another court order, are deeply concerning beyond even the realm of NIH, casting further doubt on the administration’s willingness to be transparent and conduct its business legally.

Further Reading:

• “NIH Grant Terminations Total $1.81B: Report,” Erica Carbajal, Becker’s Hospital Review
• “Characterization of Research Grant Terminations at the National Institutes of Health,” Liu et al., JAMA
• “Economists Warn Trump’s Research Cuts Could Have Dire Consequences for GDP,” Geoff Grumfiel, NPR
• “Exclusive: Generations of Americans Gave Harvard Biological Samples That May Soon be Lost Due to Trump Funding Cuts,” Sandee LaMotte, CNN

HICPAC Terminated, NIOSH Staff Laid Off

The administration has terminated a federal advisory committee that was tasked with issuing guidance on preventing the spread of infections in health care facilities. The Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HIPAC) formerly created national standards for things like hand washing, mask wearing, and the isolating of sick patients that are followed by most US hospitals. It was reported last week that HICPAC members had begun receiving termination letters, and that the committee’s webpage had been archived.

The CDC delivered the news about the committee’s termination to members last Friday. In a letter obtained by the media, which committee members said CDC sent to them following a virtual meeting, it was revealed that the termination actually took effect on March 31, more than a month prior. While the committee’s webpage is still available but archived, many are concerned its recommendations will not be updated at all in the future, failing to evolve in response to things like new scientific developments or the spread of drug-resistant microbes.

Elsewhere in CDC, nearly all of the remaining staff of the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety were laid off last week. This came after new requests for investigations of things like workplace health hazards and firefighter injuries stopped being accepted. NIOSH was formed by the same law that created OSHA. NIOSH produced research that drove OSHA’s regulations and enforcement, in addition to providing its own voluntary recommendations to employers.

In a needed dose of good news from CDC, the Epidemic Intelligence Service has been granted an exemption to hire its new class of fellows, avoiding a feared halving of its workforce.

Further Reading:

• “Cuts Have Eliminated More Than a Dozen US Government Health-Tracking Programs,” Mike Stobbe, AP
• “Trump Proposes Billions in Cuts to Federal Health Agencies from NIH to CDC,” Daniel Payne, STAT News
• “Trump Has Called for More Babies but Dismissed Fertility Experts,” Roni Caryn Rabin, The New York Times

Kennedy Selects New Director for FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research

Secretary Kennedy has selected Vinay Prasad, a hematologist-oncologist who has attracted attention for his criticism of public health policy on social media, to lead the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. He will succeed Peter Marks, who abruptly resigned from the position in March, citing disagreements with Kennedy. Prasad has been a staunch critic of COVID-19 vaccine mandates for children, though he did describe the vaccines themselves as a “miraculous, life-saving advance.”

Further Reading:

• “Vinay Prasad, in His Own Words, Outlines the Philosophy He’ll Bring to the FDA,” STAT Staff, STAT News
• “Now is Not the Time to Eat Bagged Lettuce,” Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic

Trump Nominates Casey Means for Surgeon General

The administration has pulled its nomination of former Fox News medical contributor Janette Nesheiwat to become the next surgeon general. This was reported on Wednesday, the day before Nesheiwat was set to appear before the Senate HELP committee to begin her confirmation process. Nesheiwat is a medical director at CityMD, an urgent care company operating in New York, and does still regularly contribute her opinions and insights to Fox News. She is also the sister-in-law of former national security advisor turned UN ambassador nominee, Mike Waltz.

Nesheiwat has previously misrepresented her educational and professional background, claiming on different occasions that she attended the University of Arkansas and other US institutions for medical school. She also has misrepresented herself as being “double board-certified” in family and emergency medicine, when she is only board certified in family medicine. She has also misrepresented her time spent in Army ROTC, at times implying that she completed the program and commissioned into the Army. The reality is that, while she did enroll in ROTC and attended the program’s advanced camp, she did not commission.

In reality, she quit ROTC and obtained her MD from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, a private for-profit institution. The fact that Nesheiwat lied about this repeatedly does point to a much broader issue, which is the bias many in the US have against Caribbean medical school graduates. Many US students seeking to become physicians turn to these institutions for a variety of reasons, including struggling to gain admission to programs in the US. Graduating from the Caribbean as a US student puts them in a difficult position as they compete for US residency slots as international medical graduates.

These programs are not without their faults, including comparatively lax admissions, higher attrition rates, lower licensing exam pass rates, and poorer odds of matching into US residency slots. However, the reality is that there are many practicing physicians in the US who did attend these programs and have gone on to be very successful in their careers, helping countless patients. Efforts by pundits and media outlets to twist this conversation into a dogpile on those who attend these institutions is not necessary or helpful.

The fact that Nesheiwat lied about this and other elements of her background is much more troubling, as is the fact that she was ever considered for surgeon general. What is much worse, however, is the apparent sway political activist Laura Loomer has over the president. Multiple outlets have reported that Loomer urged the president to pick a new nominee, not just because Nesheiwat has been untruthful about her background, but also because she is pro-vaccine and praised the COVID-19 vaccines.

This takes us to Wednesday, when President Trump announced the nomination of Casey Means for surgeon general. Means graduated from Stanford University School of Medicine in 2014. However, she dropped out of her surgical residency in favor of practicing “functional medicine,” a type of alternative medicine that relies heavily on debunked or unproven interventions and treatments. Her medical license has been inactive since 2024. Instead, Means has been essentially working as a wellness influencer, publishing a book that decries “mainstream medicine” and going on to found a CGM company, Levels. She is also the sister of Calley Means, who is currently serving as a special government employee at HHS. This is in sharp contrast to surgeons general of the past, who held active medical licenses, completed their residencies, and had strong, relevant leadership experience.

The surgeon general leads the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, a uniformed service that works across HHS, supports other government organizations like the Coast Guard, augments other federal, state, and local agencies when needed, and deploys both domestically and internationally to provide medical care during different kinds of disasters and emergencies and engage in health diplomacy. Thus, while many Americans no longer see the surgeon general as an especially important role, it is still important to have someone qualified in that role. Casey Means does not fit that bill, and she may not even be eligible for this role as the surgeon general is a vice admiral in the commissioned corps. Appointment to the corps requires physicians to have an active, unrestricted medical license.

While the administration may be able to maneuver Means around this requirement, she certainly is not out of the woods. Shortly after President Trump’s announcement of her nomination, she too became the target of Laura Loomer, with Loomer accusing Means of being a “Marxist tree hugger” while decrying her use of “shrooms as ‘plant medicine'”. The nomination of Means, an ally of RFK Jr., has also triggered infighting within the MAHA movement itself.

Further Reading:

• “Who is Dr. Casey Means?” Benjamin Mueller and Christina Jewett, The New York Times
• “Scientists Who Was Part of Covid Treatment Controversy Returns to HHS,” Lena H. Sun, Lisa Rein, and Carolyn Y. Johnson, The Washington Post

“The Global North is Increasingly Unsafe for Global Health Meetings”

Shashika Bandara, Nhial Deng, and Madhukar Pai recently published this piece in The Lancet. They explain in their introduction, “American civil rights activist Maya Angelou once wrote, “prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future, and renders the present inaccessible”.¹ At a time of unprecedented nationalist and far-right politics in some countries, many people working in global health increasingly encounter an unsafe environment for meetings and conferences, especially those who are considered as others, such as citizens of the Global South, immigrants, refugees and Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and racialised minorities.”

“KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust: Vaccine Safety and Trust”

From KFF: “As the Trump administration attempts to overhaul many government health agencies, the latest KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust finds that partisans’ trust in these agencies as sources of reliable vaccine information has shifted from where it stood under the Biden administration with trust declining among Democrats and rising among Republicans. While Democrats remain more likely than Republicans to trust the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the share of Republicans who have a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in these agencies to provide vaccine information has increased by about 10 percentage points from 2023. Concurrently, trust in these agencies as reliable sources of vaccine information has fallen among Democrats by double digits, including for the CDC (70% now v. 88% in 2023) and the FDA (67% v. 86%).”

Read more here.

“The Trump Administration’s Foreign Aid Review: Status of PEPFAR”

From KFF: “Starting on the first day of his second term, President Trump issued several executive actions that have fundamentally changed foreign assistance. These included: an executive order which called for a 90-day review of foreign aid; a subsequent “stop-work order” that froze all payments and services for work already underway; the dissolution of USAID, including the reduction of most staff and contractors; and the cancellation of most foreign assistance awards. Although a waiver to allow life-saving humanitarian assistance was issued, it has been limited to certain services only and difficult for program implementers to obtain. In addition, while there have been several legal challenges to these actions, there has been limited legal remedy to date. As a result, U.S. global health programs have been disrupted and, in some cases, ended. Recent changes to the Department of Health and Human Services, including proposed cuts and reorganization, are also likely to affect these programs. This fact sheet is part of a series on the status of U.S. global health programs.”

Read more here.

“The Evolution of United States Governance Policies for Research Using Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential”

Gerald Epstein recently published this article in Applied Biosafety: “Background: Prompted by publications in 2012 involving the enhancement of a highly virulent but poorly transmissible human pathogen to make it more transmissible, the research community and the U.S. government have implemented policies to oversee research involving enhanced pathogens that pose the risk of causing a pandemic.”

“Method: This article reviews the evolution of policies governing high consequence, government-funded research that has been called “gain-of-function-research-of-concern,” research with “enhanced potential pandemic pathogens” (ePPPs), and research with “pathogens with enhanced pandemic potential” (PEPPs). It analyzes features that these policies share and points out some of their shortcomings, challenges, and ambiguities.”

“Results: These policies, culminating in the 2024 United States Government Policy for Oversight of Dual-Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential, all define a set of consequential research activities that trigger the need for additional high-level review, and they all set out principles that must be satisfied before the research can be funded.”

“Conclusion: The 2024 policy, like its predecessors, only applies to government-funded research. Extending it to cover privately funded research would require either new regulations under existing statutory authority or new legislation. Like its predecessors, the 2024 policy requires that the benefits of PEPP research justify its potential pandemic risk. Unlike its predecessors, however, the 2024 policy is missing an important principle that prevents construction of a pandemic pathogen that—were it not for its creation in the proposed research—would have little likelihood of ever causing an actual pandemic.”

“Syria’s Clandestine Chemical Arsenal: The Complete Dossier”

From the Middle East Forum: “This report represents the culmination of six years of clandestine intelligence gathering by the Middle East Forum’s network of sources within and adjacent to the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons program. From 2018 until the Assad regime’s downfall, our sources methodically assembled intelligence on Syria’s military-chemical manufacturing complex, revealing an intricate system designed to develop, produce, and deploy chemical and biological weapons while evading international scrutiny.”

“At the heart of this enterprise were two key components: Institute 6000 (formerly Branch 3000), the scientific and research division tasked with developing chemical agents, and Branch 450, the security apparatus responsible for transporting, securing, and deploying these weapons. Both operated under the umbrella of the Center for Scientific Studies and Research (CSSR), a nominally civilian institution that served as the regime’s primary vehicle for weapons development.”

“This report provides unprecedented detail on personnel, facilities, operational procedures, command structures, and evasion tactics employed by the Syrian regime to maintain its chemical weapons capability despite international prohibitions and inspections. The intelligence contained herein is based on firsthand accounts from regime insiders, intercepted communications, and documentary evidence collected at great personal risk by our sources.”

“The Middle East Forum’s investigation reveals a program far more sophisticated, resilient, and extensive than previously understood by the international community. The complete picture that emerges is one of systematic deception orchestrated at the highest levels of the Syrian government, with direct oversight from the Presidential Palace.”

NEW: Quo Vadis WHO?

From Brown Pandemic Center: “The World Health Organization (WHO) is in a moment of crisis. The decision by the US to withdraw from the organisation leaves the WHO with a deficit of about 15% of its total funding through the end of 2025 and 45% projected for 2026-27.”

“The current crisis is new, but it lays bare long-standing, untenable realities: The WHO is overly dependent on a single global superpower to function; The WHO is doing too many things, which comes at the cost of effectively carrying out its core, essential functions; Member states from low-middle-income countries are disproportionately dependent on the WHO to deliver essential healthcare.”

“To avoid falling into a new dependency trap, WHO Member States should consider the following questions: What are the core functions of the WHO that member states cannot lose without major negative consequences for their health status? What functions of the WHO are duplicative of work done by another UN or global institution? Which local institutions can be leveraged in each member state to fulfil roles currently carried out by the WHO?”

This event will take place on May 13 at 12 pm EDT. Learn more and register here.

NEW: Pandemic Readiness in an Uncertain World

From the Geneva Graduate Institute: “Based on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (The Independent Panel) recommended a package of evidence-based reforms as a blueprint for transforming global pandemic prevention, preparedness and response systems. Since delivering their main report, the Independent Panel Co-Chairs – Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the Right Honourable Helen Clark – along with several members have continued to advocate for implementation of the package.”

“While some progress has been made since 2021, it has been uneven and insufficient, and today dangerous gaps remain in national, regional and global systems to prevent, prepare for, and respond to emerging infectious disease threats. Political leadership has waned to dangerously low levels. This year has been tumultuous, and the level of uncertainty presents wide-ranging consequences for achieving a world safe from the threat of another pandemic.”

“Yet despite the challenging geopolitical landscape, the World Health Organization (WHO) Member States have reached consensus on a proposal for a pandemic agreement, which will now be put to the 78th World Health Assembly for adoption. This is a critical moment, but leadership and continued action are needed to protect the world from pandemic threats.”

“Informed by four new policy briefs developed by The Independent Panel, this event will engage leaders and experts in an open conversation about the prospect of delivering pandemic preparedness and response reforms over the next 12-18 months, delving into global and regional challenges, barriers to progress, and potential levers for change.”

This hybrid event will take place on May 20, 12-2 pm CEST. Learn more and register here.

Biosecurity: A Priority in the Era of Pandemics and AI

From PAN: “The risks of new pandemic threats are compounding. Zoonotic spillover and uncontained outbreaks are well-known risks that are not yet well enough addressed. Today, focus must also turn to biosecurity and biosafety risks. Beyond naturally occurring infectious disease threats, the risks of a manmade pandemic — by accident or by design — must be mitigated.”

“Pandemic Action Network (PAN) and The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response will convene a public event, Biosecurity: A Priority in the Era of Pandemics and AI, on the sidelines of WHA78 to discuss opportunities and risks in our evolving global health, technological, and geopolitical landscape, and offer concrete next steps to prioritise biosecurity and biosafety efforts needed to keep the world safe and secure.”

This event will take place on May 21, 07.00-09.00 CET. Learn more and register here.

Assessing Research Security Efforts in Higher Education, A Workshop

“The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine cordially invites you to attend a workshop to consider potential measures of effectiveness and performance, and the data needed, to assess research security and protection efforts in higher education by a range of Federal agencies.”

“The workshop will be held on Thursday, May 22, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM U.S. Eastern and Friday, May 23, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM U.S. Eastern at the National Academy of Sciences Building, 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20418.  A remote participation option is available.”

Learn more and register here.

International Pandemic Sciences Conference

“Representatives from academia, industry, civil society and policy are invited to gather in Oxford, UK, and online from 30 June – 1 July 2025 for the International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025.”

“This year’s conference theme, Getting Ahead of the Curve, will explore how we can work together to predict, identify and control epidemic and pandemic threats globally. ”

“Over two days of plenary, parallel and networking sessions, stakeholders from different sectors and communities will have the opportunity to share ideas, experiences and strategies on prediction, early detection and control of pandemic threats. ”

“The International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025 is hosted by the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford.”

Learn more, register, and submit abstracts here.

SBA.4 International Synthetic Biology and Biosecurity Conference in Africa

From SynBio Africa: “The SBA 4.0 conference will serve as a platform for fostering connections among industry, academia, community groups, and policymakers. It will showcase innovative applications of synthetic biology and AI, and highlight ongoing efforts in biomathematics, biomanufacturing, one-health, biosafety and biosecurity. It will also facilitate networking and information exchange. Key focus areas include tackling agriculture, health, environmental management, and industry challenges. In Africa, synthetic biology is poised to drive the national development agenda by promoting a sustainable bioeconomy, supporting health and agricultural systems, and aiding environmental conservation and restoration. This event will provide a vital opportunity for stakeholders to discuss and strategize the integration of synthetic biology innovations, address policy, legal frameworks, and communicate the benefits of the technology.”

This conference will take place July 23-25 in Kigali. Learn more and register here.

CTD-SPECTRE 2nd Annual Symposium 

“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.”

Learn more and register here.

OPCW-The Hague Award 2025 Open for Nominations

“The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in partnership with the City of The Hague has opened a call for nominations for the 2025 OPCW-The Hague Award. Full details of the eligibility criteria and requirements for nominations, as well as the online nomination form, are now available on the OPCW official website.”

Learn more about the award here.

WHO in Action – WHO Pandemic Fund Newsletter

The WHO recently created a newsletter providing updates on its Pandemic Fund and the projects it has in more than 70 countries focused on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response activities. The first newsletter is available here and introduces the Pandemic Fund Navigator, shares stories from Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Togo, and Yemen, and more. Subscribe here.

SIPRI Researcher, Biological Weapons or Biological and Chemical Weapons, WMD

“SIPRI’s Armament and Disarmament Cluster is hiring a Researcher, with specific focus on biological weapons or biological and chemical weapons, to join the Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Programme.”

“The Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Programme at SIPRI seeks to contribute to the understanding of trends and developments pertaining to nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. It considers their implications for an increasingly complex security landscape and seeks to identify approaches to address the risks and challenges WMD pose. To this end, the Programme examines the political, institutional, legal and technical aspects of WMD governance, focusing on international efforts at arms control and disarmament, materials security and non-proliferation, and risk reduction.  Recent research in chemical and biological weapons at SIPRI focuses on strengthening global norms against chemical weapon use, risks at the convergence of biology and technology, and implications of dual-use research in the life sciences.”

Learn more and apply here by May 16.

NTI|bio Hiring Program Associate/Program Officer, Global Biological Policy and Programs

“NTI – a global security organization driving systemic solutions to nuclear, biological, and emerging technology threats imperiling humanity – is seeking a Program Associate/Program Officer (title to be determined based on candidate experience) to join the Global Biological Policy and Programs (NTI | bio) team.”

“This position reports to the Vice President, or other senior manager, of the NTI | bio team. This is a full-time hybrid position, working a minimum of three days per week in our Washington, DC office.”

“NTI | bio is focused on reducing catastrophic biological risks, and we are working toward this goal by strengthening biotechnology governance; bolstering biosecurity in countries around the world; strengthening international capabilities to uphold the norm against bioweapon development and use; driving progress in global health security; and building the biosecurity field.”

Learn more and apply here.