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Biological terrorism. Preparing to meet the threat
1Office of the President, Political Risk Assessment Co, Inc, Santa Monica, Calif 90406, USA. jdsimon@earthlink.net
JAMA
|August 6, 1997
Summary
Combating biological terrorism requires focusing on response, not just prevention. Enhancing medical and emergency services
Area of Science:
- Biosecurity and Public Health
- Emergency Preparedness
Background:
- Rising concerns regarding terrorist use of biological warfare agents.
- Historical context of conventional terrorism suggests prevention alone is insufficient.
Purpose of the Study:
- To emphasize the critical importance of response strategies in combating biological terrorism.
- To highlight the role of medical and emergency services in managing biological attacks.
Main Methods:
- Review of terrorism trends and their implications for biological threats.
- Analysis of essential components for effective response planning.
Main Results:
- Focusing on response yields greater benefits than solely on prevention.
- Medical and emergency services are pivotal in managing biological incidents.
- Training in symptom recognition and access to Critical Incident Stress Debriefing are vital.
Conclusions:
- Improving readiness to respond to biological terrorism can save lives.
- Effective response strategies can thwart terrorist goals of creating panic and crisis.