Biological Defense: DOD Has Strengthened Coordination on Medical Countermeasures but Can Improve Its Process for Threat Prioritization
Abstract
The spread of the scientific capabilities to produce effective biological weapons has contributed to concerns about the threat posed to the warfighter from biological attacks. GAO was mandated to review DOD s efforts to research and develop medical countermeasures against prioritized biological threat agents. This report (1) describes DOD s funding of medical countermeasures against biological threat agents from fiscal years 2001 through 2013; (2) evaluates DOD s progress in researching, developing, and making available medical countermeasures against biological threat agents, including DOD s prioritization process; (3) describes DOD s internal coordination to allocate resources to medical countermeasures against biological threat agents; and (4) evaluates DOD s coordination with HHS and DHS to research and develop medical countermeasures against biological threat agents. GAO analyzed DOD budget information from fiscal years 2001 through 2013, policies, and strategies relating to biological medical countermeasures and analyzed information and interviewed officials from DOD, HHS, and DHS on collaborative efforts to research and develop biological medical countermeasures. GAO recommends that DOD implement a process to update its list of biological threats according to its current policies. DOD concurred and identified steps to address the recommendation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2014
- Accession Number
- ADA601867
Entities
People
- Amie Lesser
- Carolina Morgan
- Joseph W. Kirschbaum
- Karen Doran
- Mae Jones
- Marcia G. Crosse
- Mark A. Pross
- Natalya Barden
- Randy Neice
- Richard Burkard
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office