ASTMH Joins World Health Organizations Urging Amendments to National Biodefense Act of 2005

As members of a coalition of global health advocates, we welcome the introduction of legislation which seeks to accelerate the development of countermeasures against the man-made and natural threats that pose an enormous risk to public health around the globe. We commend Chairman Burr and the members of his committee for making this a priority. We also strongly urge the full Senate to add language to S. 1873, the National Biodefense Act of 2005, making explicit that the measure covers new preventive technologies for global killers such as AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other tropical diseases that now kill millions worldwide each year.

These diseases are destabilizing entire economies and societies, creating chaotic conditions in which terrorism can flourish, posing a threat to our own country. At the same time, over a million Americans are now living with HIV and AIDS. Our country, and the world, will all benefit from speeding up vitally needed medical breakthroughs. We share the legislation's goal of increasing investment by private industry and streamlining government efforts to develop vitally needed products, including vaccines, microbicides, and antibiotics.

Important and innovative research is underway to tackle these neglected, yet devastating, diseases, but additional incentives are needed to stimulate involvement by the private sector, where the expertise to develop and manufacture vaccines, microbicides, and other important medical products largely resides. The market challenges common to both bioterror and infectious disease speak to the need for an array of incentives to harness the expertise of the private sector in confronting today’s greatest threats to public health. The search for countermeasures against bioterror agents also stands to benefit from synergies generated by accelerated research into vaccines, microbicides, and therapies targeting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other diseases.

We look forward to working with Senators to ensure that the proposed Biodefense Medical Countermeasure Development Fund proposed in S. 1873 will be used to support research into vaccines, microbicides, and other urgently needed products to combat the menace of devastating infectious diseases. Our organizations are also eager to participate in the working groups and Board of the proposed Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency, to share our significant scientific expertise and experience in conducting clinical trials.

Review a section-by-section summary of the Biodefense and Pandemic Vaccine and Drug Development Act of 2005.