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Bush talks bioterrorism in latest directive

Emergency Management Alert, May 3, 2004

Last week President George Bush signed a directive outlining U.S. preparation and strategies for a possible bioterrorist attack in the U.S. or overseas, according to Govexec.com.

The directive orders no new major programs but specifies U.S. agencies' responsibilities to prevent, detect, and respond to bioterrorism attacks.

The full document, called Biodefense for the 21st Century, wasn't released to protect information about U.S. vulnerabilities, government officials say.

"The president has put forward a new initiative that will fully integrate our current bioterrorism efforts across the public health, medical, law enforcement, intelligence, and homeland security community," says Homeland Security Director Thomas Ridge.

The new directive should enhance U.S. ability to develop new technologies, share intelligence, and speed reporting of possible incidents, says Jerome Hauer, a former senior Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) official, who previously criticized the U.S. bioterrorist response policies.

Under the initiative, HHS would take the lead responsibility for anticipating future biological threats, including ways in which terrorists might use biotechnology or new toxins. In addition, the department would coordinate development of medical countermeasures in the U.S. and prepare for the medical response needed to treat mass casualties.

To read the directive, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/20040430.html

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