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Along with funding pandemic preparedness, “U.S. policymakers and lawmakers need to broaden their vision to include preparing for human-generated chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats as well,” Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) President and CEO Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath and former Sen. Joe Lieberman argue in a joint opinion piece published in STAT News.
“Russia is creating the possibility of a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) nightmare. Its aggression against Ukraine makes it clear that American investment in innovative medical countermeasures is long overdue. U.S. policymakers must ensure that this country is as ready as it can be before the worst comes calling,” they say.
“Federal officials need to craft policies that make public-private cooperation profitable for the private sector and cost effective for the government. Through Project BioShield, BARDA (the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority) has provided funding directly to companies doing research on medical countermeasures. This federal support needs to grow alongside the growth in CBRN threats.”
