Alliance for Biosecurity
The Alliance for Biosecurity is a public interest organization that works to improve the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. The group tries to get a more effective partnership between private industry and the government regarding public policy surrounding bioterrorism and infectious disease pandemics. The alliance is headquartered in Washington DC.[1]
Background
The United States faces risks to national security posed by the danger of bioterrorism or a destabilizing infectious disease pandemic. The vulnerability is considered severe because many of the vaccines and medicines that would be needed to protect people do not currently exist. The Alliance for Biosecurity is a group of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies that work to create preventive measures and treatments for severe infectious diseases.[2]
History
The Alliance for Biosecurity was formed in 2005. Its purpose was to build a partnership between government and private sector biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies working in the biodefense space. The Center for Biosecurity, a nonprofit multidisciplinary organization of physicians public health professionals and scientists, was an organizer of the alliance and participates in it. Together, the two groups have provided congressional testimony and authored letters to Congress.[3]
Mission
"The Alliance for Biosecurity is a coalition of biopharmaceutical companies and laboratory/academic partners that promotes a strong public-private partnership to ensure medical countermeasures are available to protect public health and enhance national health security. The Alliance advocates for public policies and funding to support the rapid development, production, stockpiling, and distribution of critically needed medical countermeasures."[4]
Legislative support
The alliance has supported the following legislation:
- 21st Century Cures Act - legislation passed in the U.S. Senate that promotes innovation and efficiency in the development of new medical countermeasures[5]
- Medical Countermeasures Innovation Act of 2015 - legislation that would encourage the development of medical countermeasures, including drugs, devices and preventative treatments that could be used after a biological terrorist attack or global pandemic[6]
- Strengthening Public Health Emergency Response Act - legislation that creates new research incentives, improves transparency, and creates "predictable and flexible contracting"[7]
Membership
The Alliance for Biosecurity is made up of the following companies and university research labs:[8]
- Bavarian Nordic
- BioCryst
- Chimerix
- CUBRC, Inc.
- Elusys Therapeutics, Inc.
- Emergent BioSolutions
- GSK
- Johnson & Johnson/Janssen
- Meridian Medical Technologies, a Pfizer Company
- Pfenex
- Romark Laboratories, L.C.
- Seqirus
- Siga Technologies, Inc.
- Soligenix, Inc.
- The Texas A&M University System
References
- ↑ "Alliance for Biosecurity: Company Profile". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
- ↑ "Our Work". Alliance for Biosecurity. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
- ↑ Lieberman, Joseph. Six Years After Anthrax: Are We Better Prepared to Respond to Terrorism?: Hearing Before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate. 2009. DIANE Publishing. ISBN 1437911064.
- ↑ "Our Mission". Alliance for Biosecurity. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
- ↑ "Alliance for Biosecurity praises Senate passage of 21st Century Cures Act". Homeland Preparedness News. 2016-12-08. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
- ↑ "Alliance for Biosecurity applauds Alexander's actions to advance the Medical Countermeasures Innovation Act". Homeland Preparedness News. 2016-01-22. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
- ↑ "Alliance for Biosecurity applauds passage of public health emergency response bill by committee". Homeland Preparedness News. 2016-07-21. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
- ↑ "Our Members". Alliance for Biosecurity. Retrieved 2017-02-13.