cw – The Pandora Report

Pandora Report 1.24.2025

January 24, 2025 by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

This edition of the Pandora Report focuses on public and global health developments from the first week of the second Trump administration. This includes the executive order to withdraw the US from the WHO, the pause on communications from the Department of Health and Human Services, and more.

HHS Formally Debars Peter Daszak and EcoHealth Alliance

Last week, following eight months of investigation, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) severed all funding and formally debarred EcoHealth Alliance Inc. and its former president, Dr. Peter Daszak, for a period of five years. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer said in a statement about the formal announcement that, “Justice for the American people was served today. Bad actor EcoHealth Alliance and its corrupt former President, Dr. Peter Daszak, were formally debarred by HHS for using taxpayer funds to facilitate dangerous gain-of-function research in China. Today’s decision is not only a victory for the U.S. taxpayer, but also for American national security and the safety of citizens worldwide.”

He continued, “In May 2024, Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup released evidence that EcoHealth repeatedly violated the terms of its NIH grant. EcoHealth routinely ignored government oversight requests, failed to report dangerous gain-of-function experiments conducted at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and produced a required research report two years late. HHS cited all of these discoveries as key reasons for formally debarring EcoHealth and Dr. Daszak. Given that a lab-related incident involving gain-of-function research is the most likely origin of COVID-19, EcoHealth and its former President should never again receive a single cent from the U.S. taxpayer.”

RFK Jr. Petitioned FDA to Revoke COVID-19 Vaccine EUAs

The New York Times reported last week that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s pick to lead HHS, filed a petition with the FDA in May 2021 that demanded the agency rescind emergency use authorizations for COVID-19 vaccines and refrain from approving any such vaccines in the future. In the petition, Kennedy and Meryl Nass (a physician on the Children’s Health Defense Scientific Advisory Board, an organization founded by Kennedy), claimed, in reference to COVID-19 vaccines in 2021, that “…the current risks of serious adverse events or deaths outweigh the benefits, and because existing, approved drugs provide highly effective prophylaxis and treatment against COVID, mooting the EUAs.”

These “effective prophylaxis and treatment” drugs include ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, both of which had already been proven ineffective against COVID-19. Furthermore, at the time the petition was filed, some estimates were already showing that the rapid rollout of these vaccines had saved around 140,000 lives in the US alone. While the petition garnered little attention at the time, it is now a demonstration of the profound lack of understanding RFK Jr. has of medicine and public health. His confirmation hearing as the nominee to become the Secretary of HHS is scheduled for January 29.

Trump Issues Executive Order to Withdraw the US from the WHO

On January 20, President Trump issued an executive order stating the intention of the US to withdraw from the World Health Organization. The order explains in part, “The United States noticed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020 due to the organization’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, and other global health crises, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states. In addition, the WHO continues to demand unfairly onerous payments from the United States, far out of proportion with other countries’ assessed payments. China, with a population of 1.4 billion, has 300 percent of the population of the United States, yet contributes nearly 90 percent less to the WHO.”

However, these numbers are at odds with those tallied by the WHO itself. While President Trump asserted that the US gives the WHO $500 million in contrast to $39 million from China, the US was set to contribute $706 million while China is at $184 million in the organization’s 2024-25 budget.

Furthermore, WHO funding comes from two pots. The first is based on the UN’s assessment of a country’s “capacity to pay,” which is calculated based on countries’ populations and wealth. For the US and China, these numbers are sat at $264 million and $181 million respectively. This pot makes up less than 20% of WHO’s budget. The other, much larger pot, involved voluntary contributions that come not just from member states, but from philanthropic organizations, corporations, NGOs, and even private citizens. The US is projected to contribute $442 million to this fund, while China is on track to contribute just $2.5 million. While China is not contributing as much as the US, it is meeting its assessed contributions capacity to pay as determined by the UN. (Source: NPR)

*Chart showing total assessed and voluntary contributions to WHO from 2022-23| Source: Statista, https://www.statista.com/chart/33800/top-contributors-to-the-world-health-organization/*

As the EO alludes to, Trump tried to withdraw the US from the WHO during his first administration, with his administration formally notifying the UN Secretary-General of this intention on July 6, 2020. The United States entered into WHO membership in 1948 following a joint resolution of Congress. This resolution was signed by President Truman, who then used this to sign the Instrument of Acceptance of the Constitution of the World Health Organization. Because of this, there are questions about the legality of this 2020 order.

Some have cited the ruling in Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer as a legal precedent that would prevent Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from WHO. In this case, the US Supreme Court found that President Truman lacked statutory authority conferred by Congress (or the Constitution) in seizing control of steel production during the Korean War. Justice Hugo Black wrote in the majority opinion, “When the President takes measures incompatible with the expressed or implied will of Congress, his power is at its lowest ebb…”

This has formed the basis for legal arguments against Donald Trump’s previous efforts to withdraw the US from WHO membership as withdrawing without express approval from Congress would therefore violate US law. This is in addition to requirements for the US to pay its financial obligations to the WHO for the current fiscal year.

Perhaps most importantly, US withdrawal from the WHO would harm global health as a whole and represent yet further decline of US global leadership. Severing this relationship would only be detrimental to global health, which certainly cannot be good for the United States as it will undermine the country’s capacity to respond to health emergencies. Furthermore, this move would weaken US influence and diplomacy. This would also potentially present China with a greater opportunity to take leadership and reshape global norms to suit its interests, something that President Trump should be worried about.

The World Health Organization is not perfect, and it never will be. The way to address problems in the WHO, however, is by working collaboratively with the organization itself and other Member States. This has proven effective over the last several years, during which WHO has implemented the largest set of reforms in its history. The US will lose its leverage in pushing for reform by abandoning its membership, and it will also lose its place in an organization that has helped make the world a safer, healthier place for everyone.

Further Reading: “Memo to Trump: Invest in Global Health Security,” Saskia Popescu, The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Trump Administration Halts Federal Health Agencies’ Communications

The Trump administration has ordered federal health agencies to pause all external communications through February 1, including health advisories, weekly scientific reports, updates to websites, and social media posts. The instructions provided to staff at HHS agencies (including the FDA, CDC, and NIH) cited a review as the reason for this pause, though it is broader in scope than expected.

As The Washington Post explains, “The pause on communications includes scientific reports issued by the CDC, known as the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR); advisories sent out to clinicians on CDC’s health alert network about public health incidents; data updates to the CDC website; and public health data releases from the National Center for Health Statistics, which tracks myriad health trends, including drug overdose deaths.”

One anonymous official told the Post that CDC was scheduled to publish several MMWR reports this week, three of which are about H5N1 avian influenza. It remains unclear if this guidance exempts urgent communications for things like foodborne disease outbreaks, drug approvals, or new bird flu cases, though the memo explains some exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis.

Trump Freezes NIH Meetings, Travel, and Hiring

President Trump’s administration has also implemented far-reaching pauses at the NIH. In addition to the overarching pause on HHS communications, the administration has cancelled NIH meetings like grant review panels in addition to placing a freeze on hiring (which is in effect across the federal government) and an indefinite ban on travel. Science Insider describes the confusion and uncertainty this has caused, writing in part “…officials halted midstream a training workshop for junior scientists, called off a workshop on adolescent learning minutes before it was to begin, and canceled meetings of two advisory councils. Panels that were scheduled to review grant proposals also received eleventh-hour word that they wouldn’t be meeting.”

These pauses have reportedly left many at NIH and elsewhere with great uncertainty and unease. Many research meetings with teams of people at numerous institutions were cancelled suddenly, delaying important work. The travel pause can be especially damaging for younger scientists, including graduate students and postdocs, who need conference presentations to get feedback on their work and network in their fields. The travel pause also prevents NIH employees from traveling to other NIH locations, and has required some already traveling to return home prematurely.

Possible Executive Order Pausing Gain of Function Research Funding Ahead

The Trump administration is reportedly drafting an executive order that would pause federal funding for gain of function research. In 2014, the NIH imposed a moratorium on federal funding for certain studies involving GoF research. This stemmed from concerns about two studies involving modified H5N1 viruses and concerns about safety issues at CDC and NIH. Furthermore, the NIH stated at the time that this moratorium would “…be effective until a robust and broad deliberative process is completed that results in the adoption of a new US Government gain-of-function research policy.” By 2017, the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) had developed a framework for assessing funding decisions for research that involved enhanced potential pandemic pathogens.

Debate over federal funding for this kind of research grew once again amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This has included multiple congressional hearings, commentary, and the introduction of a bill in the Senate, the Viral Gain-of-Function Research Moratorium Act. The Biden administration released in May 2024 the United States Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential, which the NIH recently released guidance on. However, the executive order is expected to supersede at least a portion of this policy.

New Book on Gain of Function

Nicholas Evans, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, has a new book out that examines the controversial and poorly understood domain of “gain of function” research. Published by MIT Press, Gain of Function describes what this kind of research is, what it isn’t, and why a small number of scientific experiments continue to make headlines. The book explains what gain-of-function research means in science and in the context of government policy, traces the history of the original research that sparked the initial controversy, and describes efforts to assess the risks and benefits of this research and to regulate it. The book concludes with Evans’ assessment of the future of gain of function, including how debates about this type of research will influence politics, science and public health for years to come. Use the promo code MITPCONF for a 30% discount.

New NSABB Working Group on in silico Research and Computational Models

The National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) has established a new Working Group on in silico Research and Computational Models. The working group, co chaired by Rachel Levinson of Arizona State University (and chair of the NSABB) and Sarah Carter of Science Policy Consulting LLC, is “charged with developing strategies for identifying, and options for mitigating, potential risks associated with in silico research, computational models (including biological design tools), and datasets in life sciences settings. The NSABB is to especially focus on identifying approaches that could inadvertently or deliberately result in the development of dual-use information or models directly enabling the design of a pathogen with enhanced pandemic potential (PEPP) or a novel biological agent or toxin that could pose significant threat to public health, including datasets that could be used to develop such models and in silico experiments that could meet the definition of dual use research of concern (DURC) outlined in the Policy. In conducting this evaluation, the NSABB should consider how in silico research and computational models could enable the design, development, enhancement, or acquisition of transmissible biological agents with specific attributes, such as increased virulence, transmissibility, environmental survivability, immune evasion, difficulty of detection and attribution, or similar characteristics.”

“Envisioning an Independent Bioresponsibility Authority to Safeguard U.S. Leadership in the Life Sciences”

From the Scowcroft Institute: “This report by the Texas A&M Biosecurity and Pandemic Policy Center proposes an independent federal agency to oversee the safety and security of pathogen research conducted in the United States or funded by the U.S. government. Taking a more comprehensive and collaborative approach, the agency would pair expanded regulatory oversight with technical assistance, non-punitive incident reporting, funding for biosafety and biosecurity research, and education and training efforts. It would consolidate and streamline requirements and remain flexible as technology advances. This approach to the safe, secure, and ethical conduct of life science research merits a new term: bioresponsibility.”

“Global Risks Report 2025”

This edition of the World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report “…reveals an increasingly fractured global landscape, where escalating geopolitical, environmental, societal and technological challenges threaten stability and progress.” It includes a section on biotech and the challenges posed by the current lack of global ethical boundaries for biotech developments.

“Russia Used Chemical Weapons 434 Times in December, Ukraine’s General Staff Says”

This article from the Kyiv Independent analyzes recent reporting from the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. It explains in part, “Russia has been intensifying its use of chemical agents on the battlefield in Ukraine. A Kyiv Independent investigation from August 2024 showed that instances of gas attacks are rising, and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) confirmed on Nov. 18 that a riot control agent known as CS has been used in Ukraine.”

“Fact-Checking Russia’s Claims on Chemical Weapons”

In this piece from Vox Ukraine, John V. Parachini, Khrystyna Holynska, and Kateryna Ionova breakdown Russia’s CW disinformation and attempts to abuse its leadership position within OPCW: “For years, Russia positioned itself as a staunch advocate for the nonproliferation of chemical weapons. By asserting that it had eliminated the largest stockpile of chemical weapons and actively worked to deter other countries from developing and using them, Russia claimed to have a right to a leadership position in the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). When accusations arose against Russia or its allies regarding the contrary, Russia vehemently denied all such claims and accused Western nations of orchestrating disinformation campaigns aimed at discrediting it.”

NEW: Advanced Data Sharing to Strengthen One Health Effectiveness: Building Trust for Effective Collaboration

From NASEM: “Applying a One Health approach requires collaboration at multiple levels to address complex challenges. Actors, such as government agencies, non-government and private entities, citizens, and the research community must have reason to believe that they will receive benefits and credit for data shared without threat of retaliation, exploitation, or misapplication. Trust enables the free flow of information and resources between stakeholders and fosters an environment where diverse groups can unite towards a common goal. Without trust, efforts to tackle these challenges become fragmented and inefficient. In this webinar, invited speakers will share how their successful One Health programs establish and maintain trust, thereby supporting innovative solutions that no single discipline could achieve alone.”

This event will take place on January 28 at 4 pm EST. Learn more and register here.

NEW: The Future of Syria’s Chemical Weapons Stockpile

From the Arms Control Association: “The CWC Coalition will host a webinar on Wednesday, January 29 on the future of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile after the fall of the Assad regime.”

“The collapse of the Assad regime and the resulting political transition in Syria leaves questions about the fate of the country’s remaining chemical weapons stockpile. Since 2022, high level disarmament discussions at the UN have repeatedly remarked on the “gaps, inconsistencies, and discrepancies” remaining in Syria’s declaration of its chemical stockpile, while human rights groups have pressed for justice for victims of the chemical attacks.”

“We will discuss how can the OPCW, CWC member states, and civil society can approach the transitional government as an opportunity to bring Syria into compliance with its obligations under the CWC, have accountability for perpetrators, and justice for victims.”

Gregory Koblentz, Director of the Biodefense Graduate Program, will be one of the speakers. His commentary will be based on his recent article with Natasha Hall, the other speaker, in Foreign Affairs.

This webinar will take place 10-11 am EST. RSVP here.

NEW: Schar School Open House

The Schar School of Policy and Government will be hosting an in-person Arlington Graduate Open House along with the Costello College of Business, Antonin Scalia Law School, and the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. Explore the different degree programs we offer at the master’s, doctoral, and professional levels, as well as our graduate-level certificates. Representatives will be in attendance to discuss our various graduate programs and how you can further your studies while continuing to work. Gregory Koblentz, Director of the Biodefense Graduate Program, will also be in attendance.

This event will take place on February 4 between 5:30 and 7 pm EST. Register here.

NEW: 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 sessions will take place at 12 pm EST on February 13. Learn more and register here.

Upcoming PACCARB Public Meeting

“The Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (PACCARB) provides advice, information, and recommendations to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS Secretary). The council supports and evaluates U.S. government activities focused on fighting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in human health, animal health, and environmental health. Using this One Health approach, members of the PACCARB have a wide range of backgrounds, including academia, industry, public health, advocacy, veterinary, and agricultural production.”

“The PACCARB was established under Executive Order 13676 and is included in the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019 (PAHPAIA). Since 2019, the President of the United States has given authority to the HHS Secretary as the primary recipient of PACCARB recommendations. Additional information on the authority and activities of the PACCARB can be found on the About Us page in the charter.”

“As a federal advisory committee, the PACCARB looks to engage with the public and all AMR stakeholders. The council holds several public meetings every year both in person and live streamed on the HHS.gov website. These meetings are open to anyone with an interest in combating AMR.”

The next PACCARB Public Meeting will take place January 28-29 at the Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City. Learn more and register to attend here.

Preparedness in Rural Communities: National and State/Local Perspectives and Plans

From Penn State: “The COVID-19 pandemic and recent hurricanes have thrust the preparedness of rural communities into the national spotlight. At the federal level, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recently released national goals and plans for preparedness of rural communities. The overall objective of this virtual, 2-day mini-symposium is to identify opportunities in public health and agricultural preparedness and response in rural communities. The mini-symposium will focus upon national perspectives on Thursday, January 30 and the state/local perspectives on Friday, January 31. Speakers include representatives of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, the Department of Homeland Security, US Department of Agriculture, the USA Center for Rural Public Health Preparedness, and state/local leaders.”

This event will take place on January 30 and 31, from 11 am to 2 pm ET each day. Learn more and register here.

Rise of the Zombie Bugs: The Surprising Science of Parasitic Mind-Control

Johns Hopkins APL’s colloquium will feature Mindy Weisberger, author of the upcoming book Rise of the Zombie Bugs: The Surprising Science of Parasitic Mind-Control: “Zombies are all around us—insect zombies, that is. In Rise of the Zombie Bugs, Mindy Weisberger explores the eerie yet fascinating phenomenon of real-life zombification in the insect class and among other invertebrates. Zombifying parasites reproduce by rewriting their victims’ neurochemistry, transforming them into the “walking dead”: armies of cicadas, spiders, and other hosts that helplessly follow a zombifier’s commands, living only to serve the parasite’s needs until death’s sweet release (and often beyond).”

Learn more about this January 31 event here.

Cyberbiosecurity Summit

From Johns Hopkins APL and Bio-ISAC: “Advancements in biomanufacturing and biotechnology drive the science we need to thrive, everything from apples to vaccines. The Cyberbiosecurity Summit 2025 convenes leading experts in biotechnology, biosecurity, and cybersecurity to explore the intersection of these fields and discuss the strategies to create a safe, secure future for us all.”
This event will take place February 25-26 in Laurel, MD. Register here and review the call for sessions here (closes 12/12).

Sustainable Manufacturing: Building and Preserving a Resilient Medical Industrial Base

“Join industry and government partners for our second annual industry summit! During this event, leaders from IBMSC will share our strategic vision and organizational priorities. Speakers will also share potential opportunities for building and preserving the medical industrial base.  This event will be in-person only and space is limited!”

This event will take place March 11-12 in Washington, DC. Learn more and register here.

Exciting Update: The BWC NIM Database Is Complete!

UNIDIR is glad to announce that the BWC National Implementation Measures Database, developed in partnership with VERTIC, has reached a significant milestone: profiles for all 187 States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention are now live! This comprehensive online tool provides detailed insights into each country’s national implementation measures under the BWC, supporting transparency, trust, and international cooperation.

All profiles are available in English, and the team is committed to translating them into all official UN languages throughout 2025. Updates to the profiles will also be made regularly to ensure they remain accurate and relevant.

Explore the database at bwcimplementation.org.

Enhancing UK Biosecurity: DASA Launches Microbial Forensics Competition

“On behalf of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory(Dstl), the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch a new Themed Competition called Future-proofing Biosecurity by Strengthening the UK’s Microbial Forensic Capability. The competition is being run in response to the 2023 UK Biological Security Strategy which aims to implement a UK-wide approach to biosecurity that will strengthen deterrence and resilience to a spectrum of biological threats.”

“Dstl is leading the creation of the United Kingdom Microbial Forensics Consortium (UKMFC) which is being developed in support of the Detect Pillar of the Biological Security Strategy. It will comprise a network of biosurveillance laboratories from all four nations of the UK, operating under a One Health doctrine. This competition seeks novel technology options or technical approaches that can directly support the UKMFC initiative.”

Learn more and submit proposals here.

Pandora Report 1.17.2025

January 17, 2025 by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

This week’s Pandora Reports includes news from the Biodefense Graduate Program in addition to discussion of China’s newly-implemented export control regulations, recently-announced US export controls on biotechnology, and the United States’ new National One Health Framework.

Two Biodefense Students Earn Distinguished Fellowship

This portion was written by Meredith Fletcher, a first-year student in the Biodefense MS program with a special interest in terrorism and the use of pathogens as weapons.

The Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity (ELBI) fellowship, offered by the Center for Health Security at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is the most distinguished and prestigious fellowship available to those in the biosecurity profession. Two students in the Schar School of Policy and Government’s Biodefense PhD program, Janet Marroquin and Katie Dammer, were chosen for this honor and will be joining 29 other young professionals in the fellowship’s 2025 cohort. During their fellowship, participants will participate in biosecurity workshops, networking events, and research symposiums, both in Washington DC and abroad. Dr. Gregory Koblentz, director of the Biodefense Graduate Program, congratulated both students on this impressive accomplishment, “Janet and Katie are rising stars in biosecurity so it’s very gratifying to see their potential recognized by the leading think tank in the field.”

Janet graduated in 2019 with her M.S. in Biodefense and is currently pursuing a PhD in Biodefense. Her dissertation examines Russia’s motivation and strategy for using vaccine-related narratives in its disinformation operations. She currently works as a full-time research analyst for a federally funded research and development center. Her work focuses on analyzing national security challenges related to emerging biotechnologies and CBRNE weapons. Janet says, “I’m most excited to engage with international perspectives on common problems, especially science communication and public trust in state institutions.” Her time at George Mason helped prepare her for both her career and the fellowship because of the nature of the program, the diverse student backgrounds and its comprehensive approach to biosecurity. According to Janet, “The biodefense courses exposed me to the vulnerabilities that we as a global society have to the spread of disease due, in no small part, to inadequate preparedness.” Her favorite classes were Dr. Koblentz’s course on biodefense strategy and Dr. Estela Blaisten’s challenging, but rewarding, course on numerical methods.

Katie is a first-year student in the Biodefense PhD program. The ELBI program and those who speak highly of it have surrounded her since her undergraduate studies, so she jumped at the chance to learn more about this ever-changing field. She says, “I am so grateful to the Center for Health Security for the acceptance and to colleagues and ELBI alumni for all of the kind words I have received since this year’s cohort was announced. Every year brings changes, but it is exciting to know that this will be a key piece of my professional development throughout 2025.” Her focus is on the intersection of national security and science policy, and her current role covers a variety of natural, accidental, and deliberate threats. Katie is most excited to build a biosecurity community and take time away from her career to “nerd out” over the many topics presented during the fellowship. Katie hopes that her time as a fellow will both complement and enhance her research and discussion skills, and she looks forward to engaging with pioneers across the public health and policy fields. Katie feels she owes a special thanks to her dad, who as a career academic has been an inspiration as she started her PhD journey and the fellowship ahead of her.

Janet and Katie join a number of other Biodefense students and alum who have served as ELBI fellows including Siddha Hover MS ’14 (ELBI Class of 2016), Francisco Cruz MS ’15 (ELBI Class of 2016), Saskia Popescu PhD ’19 (ELBI Class of 2017), Yong-Bee Lim MS ‘13 PhD ’21 (ELBI Class of 2018), Justin Hurt PhD ’23 (ELBI Class of 2019), and Matthew Ferreira MS ’22 (ELBI Class of 2023).

Janet Marroquin:

Katie Dammer:

China Implements New Export Control Regulations

The Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Export Control of Dual-Use Items, which were adopted in September of last year, went into effect on December 1, 2024. These regulations are designed to support the existing Export Control Law, which went into effect in late 2020 and was the country’s first comprehensive framework aimed at controlling exports of military and dual-use items as well as technology for national security purposes. The new regulations provide more specific guidance on jurisdiction, restricted party lists, export licensing systems, and end-user/user-end requirements. Furthermore, they require third parties to report suspected violations of the regulations. They also offer a framework for extraterritorial regulation.

These regulations will repeal and replace existing rules on dual-use exports from the PRC. These previous rules include Regulation on Export Control of Nuclear Dual-Use Items and Related Technologies (2007), Regulations on Export Control of Missiles and Related Items and Technologies (2002), Regulation on Export Control of Biological Dual-Use Items and Related Equipment and Technologies (2002), and Measures for Export Control of Relevant Chemicals and Related Equipment and Technologies (2002). However, the 2011 Controlled Chemicals Regulations and 2002 Military Products Regulation will still apply in two cases: “For the export control of dual-use controlled chemicals, the Controlled Chemicals Regulation shall apply; matters not provided for in the Controlled Chemicals Regulation shall be analogically governed by the Export Control Law and the Regulation.” AND “For the export control of certain missiles and related items and technologies listed on the first part of the “Export Control List of Missiles and Related Items and Technologies”, the Military Products Regulation shall apply.”

These regulations also established a Watch List, similar to the United State’s Unverified List. Using this new system, Chinese authorities will be able to designate parties who are not cooperative with end-user/user-end verification requirements. Exporters who are working with entities on the Watch List are barred from applying for general licenses and obtaining export certificates. Rather, they must submit risk assessment reports and compliance commitments before applying for licenses.

Importantly, these regulations allow China’s Ministry of Commerce to extend its reach extraterritorially. They allow authorities to regulate and investigate the exportation of Chinese dual-use items, including those that originate from, contain, or are manufactured using Chinese dual-use items. This is true even if they are produced or traded outside of China, potentially leaving foreign entities and individuals subject to these regulations.

Shi Xiaoli of China University of Political Science and Law wrote of the new regulations, “Preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (nuclear weapons, biological weapons, chemical weapons) and their delivery vehicles is important to international peace, security and stability. In order to encourage the international community to strengthen non-proliferation efforts to meet global challenges, the United Nations has adopted a series of resolutions and treaties. China has actively participated in and conscientiously fulfilled its obligations, transformed important international obligations into domestic laws, and established and improved an effective export control legal system to prevent related items from being used for purposes related to weapons of mass destruction after export.”

A machine translation of China’s new regulations is available here.

US Announces New Export Controls on Biotechnology, Citing China Concerns

Last week, a bipartisan group of lawmakers called on the Biden administration to consider restricting the export of US biotechnology to China’s military. In a letter sent last Thursday to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, lawmakers asked her “to study imposing a licensing restriction on U.S. pharmaceutical companies working with Chinese medical entities under military ownership.”

While it is too late for Raimondo to make much progress on this request, the Department of Commerce did announce this week it is imposing new export controls on biotechnology equipment and related technology due to national security concerns related to AI and data science. These new export controls restrict shipments to China and other countries without a US license. They are for high-parameter flow cytometers and certain mass spectrometry equipment, which the Department says can “generate high-quality, high-content biological data, including that which is suitable for use to facilitate the development of AI and biological design tools.”

This is the latest effort on the part of the Biden administration to restrict China’s access to US technology and part of a broader environment of concern and distrust surrounding US dealings with the PRC. Just this Monday, the Department of Commerce announced new regulations that will cap the number of AI chips that can be exported to most countries and allow unlimited access to US AI technology for the United States’ closest allies. The aim of this is to maintain a firm block on exports to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. This also all coincides with steady concerns about China’s access to Americans’ personal health and genetic information. Furthermore, lawmakers renewed calls in August for the FDA to increase scrutiny of US clinical trials conducted in China, citing concerns about intellectual property theft and the possibility of forced Uyghur participation in such trials.

Further Reading:

“The US Government Takes Actions to Protect Vital Biological Datasets,” Kyle Wilgus, Council on Strategic Risks
“Biotech Battlefield: Weaponizing Innovation in the Age of Genomics,” Craig Singleton, Foundation for the Defense of Democracies

USG Releases First National One Health Plan

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and US Department of the Interior (DOI) released the first ever National One Health Framework to Address Zoonotic Diseases and Advance Public Health Preparedness in the United States. The CDC’s press release explains that, “At the direction of Congress in the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, CDC, USDA, and DOI developed this framework to address zoonotic diseases and advance public health preparedness in the United States. CDC, USDA, and DOI are responsible for protecting public health, domestic animal health, and wildlife and environmental health, respectively, and as such are representatives of key One Health sectors for the US government. All three agencies historically address One Health issues and work to help control zoonotic diseases that affect both people and animals. The framework seeks to inform One Health collaboration across the U.S. government for the next five years, describing a common vision, mission, and goals for key federal partners involved in implementing the One Health approach to address zoonotic diseases within the United States.”

Biopower: Securing American Leadership in Biotechnology

Vivek Chilukuri and Hannah Kelley recently authored this report from the Center for New American Security. “The report identifies key strengths and challenges for U.S. biotechnology leadership, surveys biotechnology-leading nations abroad—with a particular focus on China—and outlines an ambitious strategy to help secure U.S. biotechnology leadership for a generation. For the first time, the report introduces the concept of “biopower”—a nation’s capacity to harness emerging biotechnologies to enhance national and economic security—and describes its vast potential applications for defense, health, energy, and food security.”

“Joint External Evaluation of the International Health Regulations (2005) Core Capacities of the United States of America: Mission Report”

The WHO recently released the United States’ most recent Joint External Evaluation (JEE). The report explains in its executive summary that, “During the JEE mission, which took place in Washington, DC and Atlanta, Georgia from 18 to 25 September 2024, the United States’ capacities in 19 technical areas were evaluated through a peer-topeer, consultative process. This process brought together a multisectoral group of national subject matter experts and the multinational, multidisciplinary expert JEE team for a week of discussion, interaction and selected site visits…After a week of collaborative talks this process led to consensus on scores, as well as JEE recommendations for priority actions across the 19 technical areas.”

“The evaluation also generated eight wider, overarching recommendations that, if implemented, will consolidate the United States’ progress and remove bottlenecks that might impede implementation of the agreed priority actions. These recommendations, outlined below, address cross-cutting challenges affecting the capacities of the United States across many of the different technical areas that were explored in greater depth in the JEE process.”

Read the JEE here.

“The Second Trump White House Could Drastically Reshape Infectious Disease Research. Here’s What’s at Stake.”

ProPublica’s Anna Maria Barry-Jester parses out what may lie ahead for infectious disease research under the incoming Trump administration in this article, explaining in part, “Donald Trump’s pick to lead the federal health agency has vowed to replace hundreds of staffers and shift research away from infectious diseases and vaccines. Such an overhaul could imperil the development of life-saving treatments, experts warn.”

“REPORT: The Biden-⁠Harris Administration Roadmap for Pandemic Preparedness and Response”

The White House released this report this week that, “outlines the numerous actions the Biden-Harris Administration took to combat COVID-19 both nationally and globally, and it serves as a roadmap for how the U.S. can effectively respond to pandemics and public health threats in the future. In addition to this public-facing report, this Administration is leaving behind a three-step playbook that future Administrations can use to continue to protect the nation and effectively respond to any future biological threat.”

“Bird Flu Is a National Embarrassment”

Jatherine J. Wu makes the argument that the US should have been taking steps to respond to avian influenza more than a year ago in this piece from The Atlantic.

“The Teeth and Bones That Hold the Key to This Century’s Worst Chemical Weapons Attack”

Henry Bodkin and Heathcliff O’Malley report on how the families of 1,500 victims of a 2013 sarin gas attack in Eastern Ghouta are hunting for justice. Read this article from The Telegraph here.

“Victims of Chemical Weapons Attacks Gather in Damascus to Demand Accountability”

This post from the Middle East Monitor describes a gathering in Damascus on Tuesday during which victims of the Assad regime’s use of CW demanded that those responsible for those “chemical massacres” be held accountable. Read here.

“Sudan’s Military Has Used Chemical Weapons Twice, U.S. Official Say”

Declan Walsh and Julian E. Barnes discuss on recent revelations about CW use in Sudan in this article from The New York Times. They explain that, “Sudan’s military has used chemical weapons on at least two occasions against the paramilitary group it is battling for control of the country, four senior United States officials said on Thursday…The weapons were deployed recently in remote areas of Sudan, and targeted members of the Rapid Support Forces paramilitaries that the army has been fighting since April 2023. But U.S. officials worry the weapons could soon be used in densely populated parts of the capital, Khartoum.”

“The revelations about chemical weapons came as the United States announced sanctions on Thursday against the Sudanese military chief, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, for documented atrocities by his troops, including indiscriminate bombing of civilians and the use of starvation as a weapon of war.”

NEW: Upcoming PACCARB Public Meeting

The next PACCARB Public Meeting will take place January 28-29 at the Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City. Learn more and register to attend here.

How to Avoid Human-Made Pandemics

From the Asia Centre for Health Security: “Studying viruses that could potentially cause outbreaks is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of pandemics. However, this type of research—especially when it involves collecting samples from the field and manipulating pathogens—can unintentionally lead to a pandemic if not managed carefully. Dr Lentzos will discuss her findings from the Pathogen Project, which brought together an international taskforce of scientists, biosecurity and public health experts, ethicists, and civil society leaders to seek consensus on this question: Can we agree on ways to manage research that carries pandemic risk as safely, securely and responsibly as possible?”

This event will take place on January 23 at 8 pm (GMT +8:00) via Zoom. RSVP here.

Preparedness in Rural Communities: National and State/Local Perspectives and Plans

This event will take place on January 30 and 31, from 11 am to 2 pm ET each day. Learn more and register here.

Rise of the Zombie Bugs: The Surprising Science of Parasitic Mind-Control

Learn more about this January 31 event here.

Cyberbiosecurity Summit

Sustainable Manufacturing: Building and Preserving a Resilient Medical Industrial Base

This event will take place March 11-12 in Washington, DC. Learn more and register here.

Exciting Update: The BWC NIM Database Is Complete!

Explore the database at bwcimplementation.org.

Enhancing UK Biosecurity: DASA Launches Microbial Forensics Competition

Learn more and submit proposals here.

Connecting and Building Collaborations between AI and Synthetic Biology Communities

From AI for SynBio: “Our primary goal for this symposia is to begin to connect and build mutually beneficial collaborations between the AI and the synthetic biology communities.”

“Synthetic biology is the systematic design and engineering of biological systems. Synthetic biology holds the potential for revolutionary advances in medicine, environmental remediation, and many more. For example, some synthetic biologists are trying to develop cellular programs that will identify and kill cancer cells, while others are trying to design plants that will extract harmful pollutants like arsenic from the ground.”

Pandora Report 1.10.2025

January 10, 2025 by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

Happy New Year! This week’s Pandora Report covers late former President Jimmy Carter’s decades of global health work, updates on H5N1 in the United States, the launch of the Biosafety and Biosecurity Innovation Initiative, and more.

Former President Carter’s Global Health Legacy

The passing of former US President Jimmy Carter marks the end of an incredible life dedicated to serving others. Carter leaves behind a beautiful legacy that stems from much more than his time in the White House. In the decades after his presidency, Carter oversaw many initiatives focused on improving global health through the Carter Center. One example is his work to eradicate Guinea worm disease of which, as the WHO explained in a statement, “Under his championship cases dropped from 3.5 million in the mid-1980s to just 11 so far in 2024.”

Carter also supported WHO’s African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control, trachoma elimination programs across sub-Saharan Africa, mass drug administration campaigns for schistosomiasis, and the International Task Force for Disease Eradication, helping set the global agenda for eliminating multiple NTDs. In addition to this, Carter spent his life post-presidency doing everything from negotiating with the likes of Kim Il-sung to building homes as a Habitat for Humanity volunteer, continuously demonstrating his dedication to helping others.

Pandora Report 10.19.2024

October 19, 2024 by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

This week’s Pandora Report covers updates from the Biodefense Graduate Program, a new biosecurity and biosafety declaration from ASEAN leadership, the United States’ IV fluid shortage, new publications and upcoming events, and more.

Upcoming Virtual Information Sessions on the Biodefense Graduate Program

If you are interested in a career in biodefense or global health security or want to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to work at the nexus of health, science, and security, find out what the Schar School of Policy and Government has to offer.

The Schar School PhD programs will be holding a virtual open house on Wednesday, October 30 from 6-7:30 PM. Please join Dr. Gregory Koblentz, director of the Biodefense Graduate Program, to learn more about the Biodefense PhD program and ask any questions you may have. Register here.

Biodefense MS Grads Starts at National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology as Policy Advisor

Olivia Parker, a recent graduate of the Biodefense MS program, recently joined the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) as a policy advisor. NSCEB is a legislative branch advisory entity charged with conducting a thorough review of how advancements in emerging biotechnology and related technologies will shape current and future activities of the Department of Defense. To learn more about NSCEB, visit their website here: https://www.biotech.senate.gov.

Establishing a National Biosafety and Biosecurity Agency for the United States
Professor Gregory Koblentz, director of the Biodefense Graduate Program, along with co-authors David Gillum and Rebecca Moritz, past presidents of the American Biosafety Association (ABSA), have published an article proposing the establishment of an independent Federal agency to oversee a unified national biorisk management system in the United States called the National Biosafety and Biosecurity Agency (NBBA). The current fragmented regulatory landscape needs to be refocused to address the complexities of modern biological research, including risks associated with accidental, inadvertent, and deliberate biological incidents. The NBBA would consolidate various regulatory functions, streamline processes, and enhance oversight. This oversight would encompass life sciences research in the United States, regardless of the source of funding or level of classification. The agency could also contribute to the bioeconomy by streamlining requirements to safeguard public health and the environment while fostering scientific and commercial progress. The proposed agency would govern high-risk biological pathogens, manage the Federal Select Agent Program, enforce policies related to dual use research of concern, pathogens with enhanced pandemic potential, and nucleic acid synthesis screening, administer regulations on the use and care of laboratory animals, as well as regulate other relevant biosafety and biosecurity activities. The goal would be to provide one-stop shopping for the biomedical research and biotechnology sectors subject to oversight by the Federal government. To ensure leadership in global biosafety and biosecurity, the agency’s mission would include international collaboration, applied research, education, workforce development, and coordination with national security initiatives. Creating an agency like the NBBA will be politically challenging but presenting a comprehensive vision and engaging stakeholders early and frequently, and being transparent in the process, will be essential for garnering support. Creating a unified biosafety and biosecurity governance system in the United States will ensure the safe and secure advancement of biological research while sustaining innovation and maintaining international competitiveness. The article is open access and can be downloaded here.

George Mason Scientist Secures $1.4 Million from DTRA to Study Viruses’ Impacts on Organ Health

George Mason University researcher Aarthi Narayanan recently secured a $1.4M grant from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) to investigate how an infection spreads between organs, and how a therapeutic will impact connected organs. The work will initially focus on mosquito-transmitted viruses while Narayanan hopes to expand the implications from these studies to other human disease states. Read more here.

ASEAN Leaders Make Declaration on Strengthening Regional Biosafety and Biosecurity

Leaders of the nations comprising the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) made a declaration on biosafety and security earlier this month during the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits in Vientiane, Lao PDR. Their declaration includes an agreement to strengthen biosafety and biosecurity in the region by committing to strengthening multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder coordination at the national level on these issues, establishing the ASEAN Biosafety and Biosecurity Network, establishing or strengthening relevant national legal frameworks, upholding commitments around responsible and ethical research using high-risk pathogens and toxins and related data to prevent DURC issues, enhancing protocols and procedures for the safe storage and transport of high-risk pathogens and toxins, ensuring the provision of necessary relevant human resources, supporting efforts to develop sustainable lab infrastructure, and tasking ASEAN Health Ministers to cooperate with relevant ministries to begin consultation, coordinate, and monitor efforts to meet the declaration’s deliverables.

Amid IV Fluid Shortage, Biden Administration Invokes Defense Production Action

The Biden administration told news outlets this week that it has invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) in order to quicken the reconstruction of a Baxter facility in North Cove, North Carolina that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Helene. The plant was responsible for about 60% of the nation’s IV solutions, so the damage done to it by the storm has left many hospitals postponing surgeries and other procedures. Several products are affected, including multiple concentrations of dextrose IV solution, lactated ringers IV solution, peritoneal dialysis solution, sodium chloride 0.9% IV solution and for irrigation, and sterile water for injection and irrigation.

The DPA was passed in response to the Korean War and is historically based on the War Powers Acts of World War II. Over the years, Congress has expanded the term “national defense” as defined in the DPA so its scope includes things like enhancing and supporting “domestic preparedness, response, and recovery from natural hazards, terrorist attacks, and other national emergencies.” The DPA can be used to compel companies to prioritize government contracts and to help the federal government incentivize expansion of productive capacity and supply. The DPA was similarly invoked by both the Trump and Biden administrations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baxter said this week that 450 truckloads of undamaged products were removed from the site and that it is working with seven of its plants around the world to help address the shortage. The company is working with the FDA to import nearly 18,000 tons of product from Europe and Asia through the end of the year. Shipments from Baxter plants in Mexico and Spain began arriving last week, and the FDA has already authorized temporary importation from five sites in Canada, China, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The company is also looking into other strategies, such as expiration date extension requests.

While this recent escalation of IV solution shortage is concerning, it is part of a broader problem that has existed in the US for years. Many of the products listed above were already in shortage prior to Hurricane Helene damaging the North Cove facility. For example, sterile water for injection was placed on the FDA shortage list in November of 2021, and multiple types of dextrose IV solution were added in early 2022. Perhaps most shockingly, saline solution has been on the list since June of 2018.

The reason the US has been grappling with this shortage for years, unsurprisingly, comes down to their lack of profitability. There is a high barrier to entry in that companies must invest substantial time and money in meeting regulatory requirements and setting up a manufacturing facility. At the same time, they are pressured to keep the prices of these products low. There are also issues with managing storage and transportation of these products, as a single bag of saline is about a foot long and weighs more than two pounds. Maintaining the sterility needed to safely make these products further complicates matters as well. Erin Fox, Senior Pharmacy Director at the University of Utah Health, told NBC that “These are life-saving products, but at the same times these are absolutely treated as kind of commodities.”

This situation is mirrored in an even more threatening issue-the dearth of antibiotic research amid rising antimicrobial resistance. While the WHO firmly warned last year that “We have arrived in the post-antibiotic era,” research and development of new antibiotics are still falling flat. Similarly, much of the issue comes down to reliance on private companies for innovations when those companies no longer have enough incentive to try and bring new antibiotics to market. By the 1980s, pharmaceutical companies knew they were unlikely to develop broad-spectrum antibiotics, and it is not very profitable to treat specific types of infections. This hurt private sector research greatly and, by 2021, just four major US pharmaceutical companies had dedicated antibiotic divisions. The FDA and its EU equivalent, the European Medicines Agency, have approved just 12 new antibiotics since 2017, 10 of which were similar to existing drugs.

There are some measures in work to help address this issue, including ARPA-H’s recently announced Defeating Antibiotic Resistance through Transformative Solutions (DARTS) project. Another example is the proposed Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging Resistance Act, or PASTEUR Act. The bipartisan bill failed to pass the Senate in 2021, but a revamped version (albeit with less funding) was introduced last year. The bill calls for the creation of a Committee on Critical Need Antimicrobials, requirements for HHS to award grants that support appropriate stewardship of antimicrobial drugs, and authorization of HHS to enter into subscription contracts for critical-need antimicrobial drugs.

No one potential law will address the lack of antibiotic research in the US, let alone the broader challenge of AMR and superbugs. Similarly, using the DPA once to help hasten the rebuilding of the North Cove Baxter facility will not get the country completely out of trouble in maintaining adequate IV solution supply. These kinds of challenges are long games that are only going to get worse amid economic and supply chain challenges, in addition to problems like climate change. Addressing these kinds of problems requires long-term thinking and sustained funding, rather than relying on reacting to issues as they worsen.

“Public Health Departments Face a Post-COVID Funding Crash”

Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez tackles the newest iteration of the public health boom-and-bust funding cycle in this article for KFF Health News: “But public health leaders quickly identified a familiar boom-and-bust funding cycle as they warned about an incoming fiscal cliff once the federal grants sunset. Now, more than a year since the federal Department of Health and Human Services declared the end of the coronavirus emergency, states — such as Montana, California and Washington — face tough decisions about laying off workers and limiting public health services…Public health experts warn that losing staff who perform functions like disease investigation, immunization, family planning, restaurant inspection and more could send communities into crisis.”

“Mitigating Risks from Gene Editing and Synthetic Biology: Global Governance Priorities”

Stewart Patrick and Josie Barton authored this report for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: “Rapid advances in bioscience and bioengineering hold immense promise for human betterment. But as these disruptive technologies become more widely distributed, their inherently dual-use nature and susceptibility to unintended consequences could create unprecedented dangers.”

“AI Scans RNA ‘Dark Matter’ and Uncovers 70,000 New Viruses”

Smriti Mallapaty breaks down recent AI-powered research in this article for Nature News, explaining in part “Researchers have used artificial intelligence (AI) to uncover 70,500 viruses previously unknown to science, many of them weird and nothing like known species. The RNA viruses were identified using metagenomics, in which scientists sample all the genomes present in the environment without having to culture individual viruses. The method shows the potential of AI to explore the ‘dark matter’ of the RNA virus universe.”

“Tackling AMR: A Call for Global Action to Preserve Medical Progress”

Paul Murray, CEO of Life and Health Reinsurance at Swiss Re, discusses AMR and compounding factors like climate change in this piece for the World Economic Forum, writing in part “More such efforts are needed. Ultimately, stewardship programmes that promote the appropriate use of antimicrobials will be critical to preserving the effectiveness of existing medications. In addition, renewed drug development efforts to invent novel antibiotics are necessary, with resistant species emerging more quickly after a new drug’s introduction.”

“The Changing Face of Pandemic Risk: 2024 Report”

From GPMB, this report is a “…call to action for global leaders, policy-makers, health professionals, and communities to build a safer, more resilient future. It outlines the key drivers of pandemic risk and provides a roadmap for strengthening our defences.”

“Emerging Trends in Chemical Weapons Usage in the Middle East”

Natasha Hall discusses multiple issues regarding CW in the Middle East in this CSIS Brief, including the international community’s failure to address the Assad regime’s use of these weapons, challenges in multipolarity, and how actors are most likely to challenge existing norms by escalating from using RCAs to TICs and PBAs while spreading disinformation and slowing evidence collection.

“Putin Ordered Novichok Attack, Double Agent Skripal Tells UK Inquiry”

This reporting from Reuters details Sergei Skripal’s statement to the public inquiry into the death of Dawn Sturgess, and the poisoning of Yulia and Sergei Skripal in addition to a police officer who responded to the incident. In it, Skripal says “I believe Putin makes all important decisions himself. I therefore think he must have at least given permission for the attack on Yulia and me.”

Pandora Report: 2.3.2023

February 3, 2023 by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

Happy Friday! This week we are covering President Biden’s announcement that the national and public health emergency declarations for COVID-19 will terminate on May 11, recommendations to expand federal oversight of biosecurity and risky research, and the OPCW Investigation and Identification Team’s third report on the 2018 Douma chemical attack. We also have a number of new publications and a podcast episode featuring Dr. Glenn Cross, an alumnus of the Biodefense PhD Program, discussing Rhodesia’s CBW program during its counterinsurgency in the 1970s.

Biden Administration to End COVID-19 Emergency Declarations in May

In September of last year, President Biden declared in an interview on “60 Minutes” that “The pandemic is over,” drawing swift backlash for seemingly endorsing the sentiment that the pandemic is over because Americans want to behave like it is. He continued, saying “We still have a problem with COVID. We’re still doing a lot of work on it…but the pandemic is over. If you notice, no one’s wearing masks. Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape. And so I think it’s changing.” We wrote then, “Everybody” is definitely not “in pretty good shape.” With developments announced this week, this has potential to become even more true later this year with the end of pandemic protections.

President Biden notified Congress this week that he plans to end the national emergency and public health emergency declarations for the COVID-19 pandemic on May 11, a move that will shift the federal response to one designed at managing an endemic threat and end several protections and benefits. It comes as many have pushed for a “return to normal” and House Republicans threaten to end the national emergencies themselves. The end of these emergencies will likely mean that many Americans will have to pay for COVID-19 testing, vaccinations, and treatments out of pocket that were previously free to them. Zeke Miller explains this further in AP News, writing in part “It comes as lawmakers have already ended elements of the emergencies that kept millions of Americans insured during the pandemic. Combined with the drawdown of most federal COVID-19 relief money, it would also shift the development of vaccines and treatments away from the direct management of the federal government.”

Congress has refused to authorize additional funding for COVID-19 vaccines, prompting the federal government to begin preparations to move this care to the commercial market last year. Pfizer and Moderna have indicated that their prices for COVID-19 vaccines will likely be between $82 and $130 per dose. This amount is between three and four times what the federal government has paid for them through bulk purchasing programs, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. The same Kaiser analysis found that, “If payers end up paying those prices for one dose per adult, the analysis estimates that the total cost of purchasing booster shots commercially would run between $6.2 billion and $29.7 billion a year, depending on price and how many people nationally get the vaccine or booster.”

The federal government spent over $30 billion on these vaccines to “…encourage their development, guarantee a market, and ensure that the public can access them at no charge.” Insurers may be able to negotiate discounted prices, but as Kaiser also points out, “…they will have limited leverage because they will generally be required to cover all recommended vaccines and boosters.” While those with public or private insurance may not personally bear this cost, this could drive up insurance premiums. Worse, those who are uninsured will lose their guaranteed access to these vaccines and, given the prices announced per dose by Pfizer and Moderna, paying out-of-pocket will likely be out of reach for many.

And the number of uninsured also has potential to rise with the end of expanded Medicare coverage in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. AP explains, “Medicaid enrollment ballooned during the pandemic, in part because the federal government prohibited states from removing people from the program during the public health emergency once they had enrolled. The program offers health care coverage to roughly 90 million children and adults — or 1 out of every 4 Americans. Late last year, Congress told states they could start removing ineligible people in April. Millions of people are expected to lose their coverage, either because they now make too much money to qualify for Medicare or they’ve moved. Many are expected to be eligible for low-cost insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act’s private marketplace or their employer.”

Worse yet “Food help for unemployed adults, under the age of 50 and without children, will also change after the public health emergency is lifted in May. During the emergency declaration, a rule that required those individuals to work or participate in job training for 20 hours per week to remain eligible for SNAP benefits was suspended. That rule will be in place again starting in June. SNAP aid for more low-income college students will also draw down in June.” Important to note here is that it is estimated as many as 4 million Americans are out of work because they are dealing with long COVID. The unemployment rate stayed roughly the same in January 2023 as job growth continued, but this does not address discrepancies between stagnated wages and rising costs of living. Ultimately, the end of all these expanded benefits and protections now will only harm especially vulnerable populations, more than likely threatening their overall health.

Finally, the Office of Budget and Management indicated this week that “…an abrupt end to the emergency declarations would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system — for states, for hospitals and doctors’ offices, and, most importantly, for tens of millions of Americans. During the PHE, the Medicaid program has operated under special rules to provide extra funding to states to ensure that tens of millions of vulnerable Americans kept their Medicaid coverage during a global pandemic. In December, Congress enacted an orderly wind-down of these rules to ensure that patients did not lose access to care unpredictably and that state budgets don’t face a radical cliff. If the PHE were suddenly terminated, it would sow confusion and chaos into this critical wind-down. Due to this uncertainty, tens of millions of Americans could be at risk of abruptly losing their health insurance, and states could be at risk of losing billions of dollars in funding.” If the last three years have taught us anything, it is that giving about 100 days notice for these kinds of changes is hardly helpful for those who will be the most impacted.

Of course, the end of the national emergencies does not mean the pandemic is actually over. Three years after its inaugural meeting, the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee released the report from its fourteenth meeting regarding COVID-19. While the committee and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus acknowledged the pandemic is likely at a transition point, the “WHO Director-General concurs with the advice offered by the Committee regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and determines that the event continues to constitute a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).”

Importantly, “The WHO Secretariat expressed concern about the continued virus evolution in the context of unchecked circulation of SARS-CoV-2 and the substantial decrease in Member States’ reporting of data related to COVID-19 morbidity, mortality, hospitalization and sequencing, and reiterated the importance of timely data sharing to guide the ongoing pandemic response…WHO is urging countries: to remain vigilant and continue reporting surveillance and genomic sequencing data; to recommend appropriately targeted risk-based public health and social measures (PHSM) where necessary; to vaccinate populations most at risk to minimize severe disease and deaths; and to conduct regular risk communication, answering population concerns and engaging communities to improve the understanding and implementation of countermeasures.”

Ultimately, apathy towards this ongoing emergency is driving the end of protections and needed benefits for those that need them most. The pandemic is not over, despite politicians’ interest in that being the case. No amount of political rhetoric will ever substitute making needed investments in adequately managing and preventing these kinds of public health emergencies–a lesson the United States seems destined to “re-learn” yet again.

This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion, when viewed electron microscopically. A novel coronavirus, named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China in 2019. The illness caused by this virus has been named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).| Credit: CDC PHIL

National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity Recommends Changes in Biosecurity Oversight

The National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity endorsed a set of draft recommendations this past week that found, among other things, that current definitions of potential pandemic pathogens (PPP) and enhanced potential pandemic pathogens (ePPP) are too narrow and over-focused on pathogens that “…are both likely “highly” transmissible and likely “highly” virulent”. Their recommendations would expand oversight to cover work considered less risky and end blanket exclusions for “research activities associated with surveillance and vaccine development or production,” among several other measures aimed at enhancing safety and transparency. The White House will decide whether or not to adopt these recommendations.

Dr. Gregory Koblentz, Biodefense Graduate Program Director, discussed these recommendations with The New York Times, saying ““If the government implements the spirit of what they’ve written, this would be a major overhaul of dual-use research oversight in the United States,”. The article also explains his argument that the White house should go beyond these recommendations and create an independent agency to perform this oversight and streamline a system he says is too fragmented.

OPCW Investigation and Identification Team Releases Third Report on Douma Attack

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons released its third report from its Investigation and Identification Team investigating a chemical weapons attack that occurred on April 7, 2018, in Douma, Syrian Arab Republic. The report indicates that “Based on the holistic assessment of the large volume and wide range of evidence gathered and analysed, and on the convergence of the outcomes of such corroborated multiple analyses, the IIT concluded that, on the evening of 7 April 2018, at least one helicopter of the Syrian “Tiger Forces” Elite Unit dropped two yellow cylinders containing toxic chlorine gas on two apartment buildings in a civilian-inhabited area in Douma, killing 43 named individuals and affecting dozens more.”

🔴 Reasonable grounds to identify Syrian Arab Air Forces as perpetrators of 2018 #Douma #ChemicalWeapons attack, #OPCW IIT report concludes.

➡️ Swipe to learn more.
— OPCW (@OPCW) January 27, 2023

Syria’s Foreign Ministry commented on the report: “The [Syrian Foreign Ministry] statement said that the report lacks scientific and objective evidence, and no sane person or specialist can reach such misleading conclusions,” Syria’s state-run SANA news agency summarized the foreign ministry as saying….”Those who prepared this report neglected the objective observations raised by State parties, experts, academics and former OPCW inspectors, known for their expertise and knowledge.”

However, as polygraph.info explains, “That is false…The OPCW reviewed over 19,000 files, obtained and assessed 66 witness statements, and considered data related to 70 samples. It also followed up on “lines of inquiry” suggested by Syria and other state parties…Adhering to “best practices,” the OPCW reached its conclusions after collecting, scrutinizing and corroborating all the available information gathered throughout the course of its nearly two-year investigation.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a joint statement with UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs James Cleverly, French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna, and German Federal Foreign Minister Annalen Baerbock discussing the OPCW report:

Today, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) released a report that found the Assad regime responsible for the deadly chemical weapons attack on Douma on April 7, 2018. The report refutes the Russian claim that it was an opposition attack.

The report concludes that there are reasonable grounds to believe that, around 19:30 local time on April 7, 2018 at least one Mi-8/17 helicopter of the Syrian Arab Air Force, departing from Dumayr airbase and operating under the control of the Tiger Forces, dropped two yellow cylinders which hit two residential buildings in a central area of the city releasing chlorine killing 43 named individuals and affecting dozens more.

This report marks the ninth instance of chemical weapons use independently attributed to the Assad regime by UN and OPCW mechanisms.

Our governments condemn in the strongest terms the Syrian regime’s repeated use of these horrific weapons and remain steadfast in our demands that the Assad regime immediately comply with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Syria must fully declare and destroy its chemical weapons program and allow the deployment of OPCW staff to its country to verify it has done so.

The report also points out that the IIT received credible information, corroborated through multiple sources, that Russian forces were co-located at Dumayr airbase alongside the Tiger Forces. The IIT also obtained information that, at the time of the attack, the airspace over Douma was exclusively controlled by the Syrian Arab Air Force and the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces.

We call on the Russian Federation to stop shielding Syria from accountability for its use of chemical weapons. No amount of disinformation from the Kremlin can hide its hand in abetting the Assad regime. In the aftermath of Syria’s chemical attack on April 7, 2018, Russian military police helped the Syrian regime obstruct OPCW access to the site of the attack and attempted to sanitize the site. Russian and Syrian troops also staged photographs later disseminated online in an attempt to support its fabricated narratives of this incident.

We commend the independent, unbiased, and expert work of the OPCW staff, condemn the use of chemical weapons anywhere, by anyone, under any circumstances. We also reaffirm our commitment to hold accountable the perpetrators of all chemical weapons attacks in Syria and beyond.

The @OPCW found Syria responsible for the deadly chlorine attack on #Douma. I join my German, French and British counterparts in condemning Syria for its repeated use of chemical weapons. We also call on Russia to stop shielding Syria from accountability. https://t.co/te9HnJSNmM
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) January 28, 2023

Dr. Gregory Koblentz, Biodefense Graduate Program Director, said of the OPCW report: “This report documents the fifth chemical attack that can be directly attributed to the Syrian air force. The chlorine attack on Douma fits a pattern of chemical weapon use by the Assad regime and was an integral part of the brutal counterinsurgency operation the Assad regime was conducting at the time. The report is based on a thorough, multidisciplinary investigation that refutes Syrian and Russian allegations that this attack was somehow staged by the rebels. The report breaks new ground by naming the Syrian military officer responsible for conducting this attack: Brigadier General Souheil Al-Hassan, commander of the notorious Tiger Forces, which has been responsible for a series of chemical attacks and other atrocities during the Syrian civil war.”

“Pandemic Origins: Technologies, Challenges, and Policy Options to Support Investigations”

This report from the Government Accountability Office discusses the findings of the office’s technology assessment, Pandemic Origins: Technologies and Challenges for Biological Investigations and covers “(1) key technologies available for pandemic origin investigations, (2) strengths and limitations of these tools and how researchers use them to investigate pandemic origins, and (3) cross-cutting challenges researchers face in trying to determine a pandemic’s origin.” GAO identified several challenges that can inhibit determination of a pandemic’s origin, including challenges in acquiring data and the lack of a sufficient and skilled workforce. According to the report, “GAO identified five policy options that may help address the cross-cutting challenges, including proactively establishing multilateral agreements for accessing and sharing samples and genetic sequence data, taking steps to grow an interdisciplinary workforce, and developing a national strategy targeted to pandemic origin investigations. These policy options represent possible actions that policymakers—who may include Congress, federal agencies, state and local governments, academia, industry, and international organizations—could consider taking.”

Disease X: The 100 Days Mission to End Pandemics

This new book was published this week by Kate Kelland, Chief Scientific Writer at the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). “Distilling insights from health security experts, examining epidemics and pandemics of the past and present, and analysing what governments, societies and their people got right and wrong in the response to COVID-19 and other devastating disease outbreaks, Kelland explores why and how viruses—tiny as they are—can wreak enormous havoc on our way of life. But she also tells a story of hope, giving readers a glimpse of a future where the threat of pandemics has been neutralised by a prepared and collaborative world.”

Governing Pandemics Snapshot Inaugural Issue

The first issue of Governing Pandemics Snapshot is available now from the Geneva Graduate Institute’s Global Health Centre. “Welcome to the inaugural issue of the Governing Pandemics Snapshot, a publication aiming to provide a concise, periodic overview on the state of efforts to strengthen global pandemic preparedness and response (PPR). This first issue looks back at 2022 and forward to 2023, examining three topics that will recur with each issue: negotiations towards a Pandemic Treaty (or instrument), amendment of the International Health Regulations; and Financing of PPR. Each issue will also cover a rotating special topic, and we begin here with Pathogen- and Benefit-Sharing (PBS). More frequent updates are available on our timeline at GoverningPandemics.org.”

“Addressing Misconceptions About Biological and Chemical Weapons and Related Legal Frameworks”

This new report from VERTIC is available now here. “The main purpose of this resource is to disprove misconceptions about biological and chemical weapons and related international instruments. It addresses misconceptions about biological and chemical weapons and related legal frameworks that VERTIC staff have identified through interactions with states over 20 years’ work on these treaties, and from other sources such as the media. Each misconception is broken down into an explanation of the misconception and its implications, and how to address it. The misconceptions are then disproved through factual and legal discussions, supported by expert commentary.”

“New Bio-Defense Strategy to Eschew ‘One Bug, One Drug’ Programs”

This piece in National Defense covers discussion of the upcoming Bio-Defense Posture Review with USAF Col. James Harwell, deputy director for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense at the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Joint Requirements Office. The article reads in part, “Gone are the days where we take long periods of time to identify an emerging threat and build a specific countermeasure to that threat. Science is moving at a pace that allows for new threats to rapidly emerge and to undermine our ability to achieve our National Defense Strategy,” Harwell said.”

“The Doomsday Clock is Ticking on Biosecurity”

In this piece for Defense One, Suzet McKinney, Asha George, and David Relman discuss the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ Science and Security Board’s setting of the Doomsday Clock’s time to 90 second to midnight. They acknowledge that it was mostly moved because of the war in Ukraine, but they also write that “The impact of this war on the global order has implications far beyond the nuclear realm and the battlefield more generally. The war thwarts international cooperation exactly when we need cooperation most—to address pressing 21st-century threats such as climate change, mis- and disinformation, and a problem we and others know quite well: the proliferation of biological threats.”

“Managing the Risks of Biotechnology Innovation”

In this workshop policy paper for the Council on Foreign Relations, Dr. Gigi Kwik Gronvall discusses the risks posed by biotechnological progress and summarizes a November CFR workshop titled “Managing the
Risks of Biotechnology Innovation.” She identifies several gaps in global governance of these risks, including misinformation and disinformation’s influence on the progress and governance of biotechnology, writing in part “Well-funded groups have undermined the development of various biotechnologies, as seen in “golden rice,” which was developed in the 1990s to combat vitamin A deficiency. However, this intervention has not been deployed due to unjustified safety concerns, and millions of children have died from vitamin A deficiency. Misinformation about GMOs, vaccines, and therapies is common, and has intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Russia has recently presented the presence of public health laboratories in Ukraine as cause for suspicion of misuse of biotechnologies. Sometimes institutions, newspapers, or research groups will organize to counter specific threads of misinformation and disinformation, but it is a significant, often uncompensated, obligation for those involved.”

“The Next Generation of Coronavirus Vaccines: A Graphical Guide”

“Vaccines against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 have been given to billions of people to protect them from COVID-19, and have saved more than 20 million lives. But viral variants can evade some of the immunity provided by the original vaccines. As a result, vaccine developers around the world are working on dozens of ‘next-generation’ COVID-19 vaccines: not just updates of the first versions, but ones that use new technologies and platforms.” Check out this graphical guide from Nature that covers the next generation of COVID-19 vaccines.

“Could a Chatbot Teach You How to Build a Dirty Bomb?”

In this piece for Outrider, Matt Korda discusses concerns brought about by chatbots like ChatGPT and OpenAI. He writes in part, “But despite being programmed to align with human values, could ChatGPT be tricked into doing harm? To answer this question, many researchers (myself included) picked up ChatGPT’s proverbial gauntlet and went to work searching for creative ways to circumvent the AI model’s safety guardrails. The results of this collective experiment were often funny and—worryingly—occasionally successful.”

What We’re Listening To 🎧

Poisons and Pestilence “14 Bonus Episode: Dirty War with Glenn Cross”

In this latest episode, Dr. Brett Edwards discusses Rhodesia’s development of a CBW program and its use during the country’s counterinsurgency in the 1970s with Dr. Glenn Cross, an alumnus of the Biodefense PhD program and author of Dirty War, a book discussing this program in-depth that is a must read.

This Podcast Will Kill You “Episode 111 RSV: What’s syncytial anyway?”

“We’re kicking off our sixth season in the same way we ended our fifth: with another headline-making respiratory virus. But as our listeners know, not all respiratory viruses are the same, and it’s often those differences among them that play the biggest role in their spread or the symptoms they cause. This episode, we’re exploring the virus that everyone has been talking about lately. No, not that one. Or that one. The other one. Yes, we’re talking about respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. For many people, the recent surge in RSV infections that dominated headlines this winter may have been the first time they had heard of this viral infection or realized how deadly it could be. But for others, RSV has long inspired fear and dread. In this episode, we Erins explain why this virus deserves such notoriety, how long we’ve recognized the dangers of infection, and what hope the future may hold for novel RSV treatments or vaccines. If at any point you’ve wondered what all the fuss is about this virus or how to pronounce syncytial, then this is the episode for you!”

Prosperity and Human Security: Japan and Asia’s 21st Century Governance Challenges

Join Harvard’s Program on US-Japan Relations for this symposium that includes panels on “Development and Governance Challenges in Public Health” and “Development, Climate Change, and Climate Migration”. The former will feature Dr. Yanzhong Huang, Senior Fellow for Global Health at the Council on Foreign Relations, discussing “China, Covid-19, and global health governance”. This event will take place on February 6 at 12 pm EST. Learn more and register here.

Jonathan Tucker CBW Symposium

“The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies cordially invites you to the 11th annual Jonathan Tucker Symposium on chemical and biological weapons issues on February 9th and 10th, 2023.” BW topics include “Revisiting the Siege of Caffa & Catapulting Cadavers” and “Governance of Dual-Use Biological Research,” the latter of which will be moderated by Dr. Gregory Koblentz. CW topics include “Lessons learned from the U.S. Chemical Weapons Destruction Program” and “The 2023 CWC Review Conference”. Learn more and register for the virtual events here.

Publication Launch Event-Strategic Trade Review: 10th Issue

Join the Strategic Trade Research Institute on February 15, at 9 am EST for this launch event moderated by Dr. Andrea Viski, a Schar School adjunct professor who teaches courses on strategic trade controls. Featured authors will engage in a virtual interactive panel discussion discussing the new edition. Learn more and register here.

Personal Protective Equipment and Personal Protective Technology Product Standardization for a Resilient Public Health Supply Chain

“The National Academies will convene a public workshop, March 1-2, to examine standards gaps related to personal protective equipment (PPE) and personal protective technology (PPT). The event will explore innovative approaches and technologies needed to update and streamline the U.S. standardization system for PPE and PPT in support of supply chain resiliency. Policymakers, manufacturers, users, and relevant technical contributors will discuss ways to improve the effectiveness, safety, supply stability, and accessibility of PPE and PPT in health care settings and increase usage by critical infrastructure workers and the general public.” Learn more and register here.

Novel Applications of Science and Technology to Address Emerging Chemical and Biological Threats

For the first time since 2019, this Gordon Research Conference is back, this time in sunny Ventura, CA. “The Chemical and Biological Defense GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes a diverse range of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.” The conference will be held March 19-24, 2023. Learn more and apply here by February 19.

Weekly Trivia Question

You read the Pandora Report every week and now it’s time for you to show off what you know! The first person to send the correct answer to biodefense@gmu.edu will get a shout out in the following issue (first name last initial). For this week, our question is: In February 1964, Albert Nickel, an animal caretaker at Fort Detrick, contracted and died from a disease after he was bitten by an infected rodent. What is the name of the disease and what is its causative agent?

Shout out to Pappas G. for winning last week’s trivia! The correct answer to “On April 22, 1915, the German Army infamously unleashed more than 160 tons of chlorine gas on French trenches near which Belgian city?” is Ypres. Check out the National World War I Museum and Memorial’s page on this event.

Islamic State Goes Old School

November 4, 2014 by juliadhomstad, posted in News

By Erik Goepner

Recent reports suggest that IS has employed chlorine as a weapon. Though currently unconfirmed, these reports suggest that IS is looking to bolster its inventory of tactics, techniques and procedures. In so doing, they’ve gone old school.

IS’ first use of chlorine as a weapon may have been in September against Iraqi security forces and Shiite militias north of Baghdad. Reports indicate the chlorine was delivered via bombs. No one died, but approximately 40 reported difficulty breathing and heavy coughing. One source said IS had taken the chlorine from purification plants overtaken during their advance.

Additional reports suggest that IS employed toxic gas in Kobani on October 21. Patients reportedly sought medical care for trouble breathing, burning eyes, and blisters. A doctor on-scene ruled out chlorine as the cause, while assessing the injuries as consistent with exposure to an as-of-yet unidentified chemical. The Guardian noted, however, there was no consensus or confidence from experts regarding potential causes of these injuries.

Five days later, an Iraqi military commander said seven chlorine filled projectiles were fired into a residential area of Anbar province, though no casualties were reported.

According to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), though, this is not new. The implementing body of the Chemical Weapons Convention reported chlorine was already used “systematically and repeatedly” in northern Syrian villages earlier this year. Western government officials assert Assad’s forces had employed the chlorine, though it is unclear if other groups may also have been responsible.

Historically, perhaps the most heinous and deadly precedent for chlorine-as-weapon comes from World War I, when the Germans dispersed 168 tons of chlorine during the Second Battle of Ypres in Belgium. Approximately half of the 10,000 allied soldiers in the affected area died. Two days later, chlorine was again used, killing an additional 1,000 Allied service members.

What might the future hold? The Nuclear Threat Initiative, writing in 2007 about chemical weapon fears in Iraq, noted that the worst industrial accident in history was the release of 40 metric tons of methyl isocyanate at a pesticide plant in Bhopal, India. 3,000 were killed and more than 100,000 were injured. The author concluded that a “sufficiently large release of elemental chlorine may be capable of exacting a comparable toll, particularly if discharged in a highly populated civilian area.” However, the author also noted chlorine is typically ineffective against a “prepared adversary” because its visible color and potent odor announce its arrival and the effects of chlorine can be mitigated with “simple countermeasures,” such as gas masks or wet cloths placed across the nose and mouth.

Image Credit: Stripes

The Pandora Report 9.27.13

September 27, 2013October 7, 2013 by Siddha Hover, posted in Pandora Report

Highlights include MERS, more MERS, Marburg & Ebola, chemical weapons antidotes, universal vaccine. Happy Friday!

Saudi Efforts to Stop MERS Virus Faulted

Saudi Arabia is being accused both of withholding information and conducting incomplete epidemiological investigations on MERS. While health officials have been careful to collect as much information as possible from infected individuals, they have been accused of neglecting to interview healthy contacts of infected patients. Such interviews are critical to determining possible routes of transmission. Saudi officials have vehemently denied these accusations, arguing it’s impossible to withhold what they don’t know.

Wall Street Journal – “‘It’s very difficult to give all the details to the people when we don’t know all the details,’ Ziad Memish, the deputy health minister, said last week at his office in Riyadh, the Saudi capital. ‘”Where’s it coming from? We don’t know. How is it transmitted? We don’t know.'”

Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Update

Speaking of MERS, the CDC has updated its epi information on the virus. According to this week’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, there are now 130 cases, of which 45% of were fatal. While cases have occured in eight countries, all infected patients had recently visited or resided in just four countries – Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Also of note, just over a fifth of cases (21%) were asymptomatic. No new information on mvectors, reservoirs, or route of infection.

CDC – “To date, the largest, most complete clinical case series published included 47 patients; most had fever (98%), cough (83%), and shortness of breath (72%). Many also had gastrointestinal symptoms (26% had diarrhea, and 21% had vomiting). All but two patients (96%) had one or more chronic medical conditions, including diabetes (68%), hypertension (34%), heart disease (28%), and kidney disease (49%). Thirty-four (72%) had more than one chronic condition (7). Nearly half the patients in this series were part of a health-care–associated outbreak in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia (i.e., a population that would be expected to have high rates of underlying conditions) (8). Also, the prevalence of diabetes in persons aged ≥50 years in Saudi Arabia has been reported to be nearly 63% (9). It remains unclear whether persons with specific conditions are disproportionately infected with MERS-CoV or have more severe disease.”

New Marburg & Ebola Theraputics?

Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corporation has developed a Marburg treatment which protects non-human primates from the virus completely (100%), even if administered 24 hours after post infection. This is very exciting. The company has also received funding to undertake a similar Ebola treatment, with Phase I clinical trials set to begin early next year.

Street Insider – “In a presentation entitled ‘Medical Countermeasures for Filovirus Infection: Development of siRNA Therapeutics Under the Animal Rule’ data were presented that showed successful anti-viral therapy with the application of Tekmira’s LNP technology to hemorrhagic fever viruses, including multiple strains of the Ebola and Marburg viruses. Newly presented data resulting from a collaboration between Tekmira and the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) showed 100% survival in non-human primates infected with the Angola strain of the Marburg virus in two separate studies. In the first study, 100% survival was achieved when dosing at 0.5 mg/kg TKM-Marburg began one hour after infection with otherwise lethal quantities of the virus. Dosing then continued once daily for seven days. In the second study, 100% survival was achieved even though treatment did not begin until 24 hours after infection.

Scientists at UNC-Chapel Hill, Wake Forest work on antidotes to nerve gas

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency has awareded UNC-Chapel Hill a $4.47 million grant to develop antidotes to nerve gas. While the timing of the award may seem a little reactionary, apparently discussions on the project began over a year ago. Researchers are hoping to create an adhesive bandage, pre-loaded with the antidote which would be administered through tiny needles in the bandage itself. The advantage of a bandage over an injected serum is self-administration – no medical professional would be needed to administer it.

Charlotte Observer – “‘We can load them up with antidotes to nerve agent, including enzymes that combat nerve agent,’DeSimone [a professor of chemistry at UNC-CH and chemical engineering] said. ‘The idea was to put them directly into a dissolvable microneedle that’s painless – just a patch – and rapidly get them into the bloodstream’ Such a device could be used by the military or civilians during an attack, when poison gas can kill within minutes. The patch could be easily disseminated and transported, DeSimone said, and would have a long shelf life.

Researchers Move Step Closer to Universal Seasonal Flu Vaccine

It’s nearly flu season again, and for many of us that means shots. For scientists, it means hoping their predictions as to which strain of flu will strike are right, and that the vaccine in the shots is actually useful. Making things easier for everyone, scientists at the Imperial College of London have determined a “blueprint” for a single vaccine against all types of influenza. Scientists there have found that by boosting CD8 killer T cells, rather than trying to trigger antibody production, the vaccines are significantly more effective.

Voice of America – “’Such a vaccine would induce T cells that would be able to recognize new viruses that have not even been identified yet. In other words, future pandemic strains. In that sense, it’s a universal vaccine. And it will be different to existing vaccination where currently every year a new vaccine has to be developed, which is why we are always one step behind…'”

(image courtesy of CIDRAP)

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