Recent News

By Region: North America

House re-ups bioterrorism, public health funding

(Government Health IT) In late January, the House passed a bill funding several public health preparedness and monitoring programs, including bioterrorism surveillance and the federal disaster medical system, getting support from the biotechnology and public health communities, in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act (HR 307) passed by a  Read More »

Whole Foods Expands 18-State Smoked Salmon Listeria Recall

(Food Safety News) Whole Foods Market is recalling an additional lot code (for a total of two lot codes) of Whole Catch Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon which were sold in stores in 18 states, because it may contain Listeria Monocytogenes, an organism which can cause a sometimes fatal infection in young children, frail or elderly  Read More »

Pandemic controversies: The global response to pandemic influenza must change

(EurekAlert) ‘Evil’ scientists, deadly viruses and terrorist plots are usually the preserve of Hollywood blockbusters. But when it comes to pandemic influenza, it is the stuff of real life. As controversy about research into the H5N1 bird flu virus continues, a new paper argues for a complete overhaul of current approaches to pandemic preparedness. To  Read More »

Link to African Ebola Found in Bats Suggests Virus Is More Widespread

(New York Times) For the first time, scientists have found evidence of the African Ebola virus in Asian fruit bats, suggesting that the virus is far more widespread around the world than had been previously known. That does not mean that outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever are inevitable, said Kevin J. Olival, leader of the bat-hunting  Read More »

DHS releases first draft for $3.1B BioWatch program

(Washington Technology) The Homeland Security Department has released a draft request for proposals for the first stage of its $3.1 billion BioWatch Gen-3 program. DHS’ Office of Health Affairs is running the program to build an autonomous network of biodetectors to monitor the air for biological and chemical threats. The program began in 2003, and  Read More »