Recent News

By Region: North America

U.S. to Award Smallpox Treatment Contract

The U.S. Health and Human Services Department is set to award SIGA Technologies a contract worth up to $2.8 billion to prepare at least 1.7 million courses of smallpox treatment for the Strategic National Stockpile of medical countermeasures, the Associated Press reported yesterday (see GSN, Oct. 8). Completion of the deal hinges on a competing Read More »

October 14, 2010
| Filed under North America, Biotechnology, and Public Health
Share

HHS Seeks to Deter Creation of Synthetic Pathogens

The U.S. Health and Human Services Department yesterday issued advice to help companies that sell synthetic gene sequences prevent their products from being used to produce biological weapons, the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy reported yesterday (see GSN, Sept. 10). (Oct. 14) – Model DNA strands on display at a museum in London, Read More »

October 14, 2010
| Filed under North America, Biosafety, and Countermeasures
Share

US Finalizes Synthetic DNA Security Guidance

After years of discussion, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released final guidelines describing how synthetic DNA manufacturers should screen customers and the sequences they order to find those who aim to synthesize the genomes of dangerous pathogens. Draft guidelines released last November prompted concerns from all sides. Some worried that Read More »

October 13, 2010
| Filed under North America and Biosafety
Share

Federal biodefense lab site still in K-State hands

Federal biodefense lab site still in K-State handsKTKA.comBy AP Manhattan — Kansas State University has yet to hand over to the government the 45-acre site where a federal biodefense laboratory will be built. …and more »

October 13, 2010
| Filed under North America and Research
Share

Kansas Bioscience Authority Looks at Funding for Federal Lab

Kansas Bioscience Authority looks at funding for federal labLawrence Journal World… to surface: How and when will Congress appropriate money for the federal biosecurity lab that is expected to be up and running by the end of the decade? …Group invests in state's businessesKansas State Collegianall 3 news articles »