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Biosecurity
Biosecurity, Biosafety and Public Health
Unlike other weapons of mass destruction, biological agents are a diverse grouping of pathogens and toxins derived from organisms that are readily found in nature (except for smallpox) and can proliferate on their own. These biological agents can harm animals, plants and/or humans with potentially devastating impact on public health, agriculture and the food supply chain. Thus, a two-pronged approach of arms control strategies and public health strategies is necessary to prevent and respond to a biological attack.
In addition to the Biological Weapons Convention’s Review Conferences and experts meetings, arms control strategies for biological agents include laboratory biosafety and pathogen security, as well as the potential risk of dual-use life science research (including synthetic biology).
Public health strategies critical for detecting and mitigating a natural, accidental or intentional biological incident include threat determination; development, stockpiling and deployment of medical countermeasures; infectious disease surveillance; microbial forensics and attribution; emergency response; the revised International Health Regulations; select agent rules; and decontamination and risk assessment.
At least 10 different U.S. agencies play some role in biosecurity, biosafety and public health, including State and HHS. Biosecurity issues are very international in scope, involving other governments as well as intergovernmental organizations, such as the World Health Organization and Interpol.
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