News HighlightCommission Commends White House for Pandemic Preparedness Plan
The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense today commended the Biden Administration for developing a new American Pandemic Preparedness Plan to invest boldly in a national effort that transforms U.S. capabilities to respond quickly and effectively to future biological threats. As detailed in the Commission’s January 2021 report, The Apollo Program for Biodefense – Winning the Race Against Biological Threats, doing so could effectively end the era of pandemic threats by 2030.
More03 September, 2021
Commission announces new Deputy Director position to lead biodefense policy and research efforts
The new Deputy Director will support the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense by leading biodefense policy analysis and research about the prevention, deterrence, preparedness for, surveillance and detection of, response to, attribution of, recovery from, and mitigation of naturally occurring, accidentally released, and intentionally introduced biological threats. This is a senior, high-visibility position and the successful candidate is expected to serve as a strategic planner, manager, supervisor and substantive expert, reporting directly to the Executive Director and serving as the Acting Executive Director when necessary. The pandemic of 2020 has shined a spotlight on the Commission’s work and this new Deputy Director joins at an exciting time of high-intensity focus and rapid-growth. If you are interested, please send your resume to admin@biodefensecommission.org.
Join the Commission as it assesses the threats and vulnerabilities of cyberbiosecurity in addition to investigating the opportunities and solutions to address these threats, and the role of the federal government in securing the future.
Commission
September 17, 2021
HERA isn’t the hero Parliament wants — or the game-changer Council fears
That’s only a “start,” Asha George, the executive director of the American Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, wrote in a statement. To be successful, entities like HERA and BARDA need “long-term commitment of funding and other governmental support, even in the absence of a pandemic.” The bipartisan commission recommended the U.S. spend $10 billion a year for 10 years to eliminate the threats of pandemics — "the same holds true for the EU,” George wrote.
September 16, 2021
The US government’s comic approach to information warfare
A British firm, Erly Stage Studios, designed and produced them. The firm publishes graphic novels and online games with a focus on global history and social issues, including a “very graphic history” of germ warfare authored by Max Brooks for the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense.
September 13, 2021
State of Biodefense: How America Has Not Addressed the Threat
Even before September 11, 2001, and the anthrax attacks that began shortly thereafter, the public and private sectors anticipated bioterrorism and grew increasingly concerned about pandemic influenza. They had already started working to strengthen national biodefense. Despite the support of President Bill Clinton, only limited efforts began until the anthrax events of 2001 galvanized the government.
September 7, 2021
Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense lauds Biden’s Pandemic Preparedness Plan, but urges more funding
The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense last week applauded the Biden Administration’s work on a new $65.3 billion American Pandemic Preparedness Plan for investments to combat the next biological threat, though it argues that greater funding is necessary to make sufficient plans.
September 3, 2021
White House Seeks $65 Billion for ‘Apollo’ Plan to Prepare for Future Pandemics
Mr. Daschle said Friday that both $15 billion and $65 billion were “a fraction of what is needed now.” The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, a private organization of which he is a member, has proposed $100 billion over 10 years, he said.
September 3, 2021
Biden Administration Proposes $65 Billion Pandemic Plan
Asha George, executive director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, which released its own report in January calling for an Apollo-like effort, said she welcomed Mr. Biden’s plan, and said the details it contains should ease lawmakers’ earlier skepticism about how such funds would be spent. But, she said, “In the end it’s going to come down to leadership and follow-through.”
