Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases

Overview

Improving our nation’s defenses against bioterrorism is a key part of the U.S. government’s homeland security effort. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) supports activities to improve local and state public health systems, expand existing biosurveillance efforts, and fund research on medical countermeasures against potential bioterror agents.

Within HHS, biodefense medical research and early product development is funded by NIAID, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIAID is committed to accelerating development of medical tools to detect and counter the effects of a bioterrorist attack, including:

• Vaccines to immunize the public against diseases caused by bioterrorism agents
• Diagnostic tests to help first responders and other medical personnel rapidly detect exposure and provide treatment
• Therapies to help patients exposed to bioterrorism agents regain their health

See NIAID’s Role in Biodefense to learn more about the Institute's research goals and priorities.