Recent News

By Region: North America

McCarthy joint venture receives $80 million DHS contract

(StLouisBusinessJournal) The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded the joint venture team of McCarthy Building Cos. Inc. and Mortenson Construction an $80 million contract to build the Central Utility Plant for the future National Bio and Agro-Defense facility (NBAF). The 87,000-square-foot plant to be built at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan., Read More »

March 13, 2013
| Filed under North America, Biosafety, Policy & Initiatives, and Research
Share

U.S. Begins Receiving Controversial Smallpox Medicine

(GlobalSecurityNewswire) A New York biotechnology firm last week delivered to the U.S. government the initial batch of a new smallpox treatment in a $463 million order that has prompted cost concerns among some issue experts, the New York Times reported on Tuesday. SIGA Technologies in 2011 received a single-bid contract to manufacture 1.7 million doses Read More »

March 13, 2013
| Filed under North America and Countermeasures
Share

Obama Signs Pandemics and All-Hazards Preparedness Act of 2013

(GlobalBiodefense) The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act (PAHPRA) of 2013 was signed into law yesterday by President Barack Obama. The legislation reauthorizes provisions of the Project Bioshield Act of 2004 and the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) of 2006 for an additional five years.

March 13, 2013
| Filed under North America and Policy & Initiatives
Share

U.S. Funds Biodefense Drug Development

(GlobalSecurityNewswire) The Obama administration has announced plans to provide $20 million in the coming budget year for a grant initiative aimed at promoting production of new vaccines and medicines for use after a deliberate or natural disease outbreak.

March 12, 2013
| Filed under North America and Countermeasures
Share

CDC: Nightmare Resistant Bacteria Strain

(GlobalBiodefense) Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are urging hospitals to take preventative action against the spread of a deadly, antibiotic-resistant “nightmare” strain of bacteria. Enterobacteriaceae are a family of bacteria that commonly cause infections in health-care settings. Among Enterobacteriaceae, resistance to broad-spectrum carbapenem antimicrobials had been uncommon. However, a dramatic Read More »