Biosecurity and bioterrorism : biodefense strategy, practice, and science
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In the past decade, the 2001 anthrax incident in the U. S. and the 2003 SARS epidemic have highlighted the biological threat to civilian populations. ⋯ However, to reduce the expense of such a stockpile and to make it worthwhile, there is also a need for a shelf-life extension program (SLEP) through which pharmaceuticals could be extended beyond manufacturer-ascribed shelf life, as long as they meet regulation standards. In this article, we review the Israeli experience with the national ciprofloxacin stockpile procurement and shelf-life extension program.
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Even amidst the devastation following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan that killed more than 20,000 people, it was the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that led the country's prime minister, Naoto Kan, to fear for "the very existence of the Japanese nation." While accidents that result in mass radiological releases have been rare throughout the operating histories of existing nuclear power plants, the growing number of plants worldwide increases the likelihood that such releases will occur again in the future. Nuclear power is an important source of energy in the U. S. and will be for the foreseeable future. ⋯ S. policies and practices for "outside the fence" management of such an event in the U. S.; and makes recommendations for steps that can be taken to strengthen U. S. government, industry, and community response to large-scale accidents at nuclear power plants.