Biodefense
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'''Biodefense''' refers to short term, local, usually [[military]] measures to restore [[biosecurity]] to a given group of persons in a given area — in the [[civilian]] terminology, it is a very robust [[Biological hazard|biohazard]] response. It is technically possible to apply '''biodefense''' measures to protect [[animal]]s or [[plants]], but this is generally uneconomic. However, protection of water supplies and food supplies are often a critical part of biodefense. Various definitions of [[biosafety]] emerged in different professions to guarantee non-human health.
Biodefense is most often discussed in the context of [[biological warfare|biowar]] or [[bioterrorism]], and is generally considered a military or [[emergency response]] term.
Biodefense applies to two distinct target populations: civilian non-combatant and military combatant (troops in the field).
==Biodefense of troops in the field==
The [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] (or "DoD") has focused since at least 1998 on the development and application of vaccine-based biodefenses. In a July 2001 report commissioned by the DoD, the "DoD-critical products" were stated as vaccines against [[anthrax]] (AVA and Next Generation), [[smallpox]], [[Bubonic plague|plague]], [[tularemia]], [[botulinum]], [[ricin]], and [[equine encephalitis]]. Note that two of these targets are toxins (botulinum and ricin) while the remainder are infectious agents.
==See also==
*[[United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases]] (USAMRIID)
*[[National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center]] (NBACC)
==References==
*Department of Defense (2001). [http://www.acq.osd.mil/cp/bwdvrdp-july01.pdf Report on Biological Warfare Defense Vaccine Research & Development Programs]. Retrieved 2005-02-25.
*Institute of Medicine and National Research Councel of the National Academies (2004). [http://books.nap.edu/books/0309091535/html/R1.html Giving Full Measure to Countermeasures: Addressing Problems in the DoD Program to Develop Medical Countermeasures Against Biological Warefare Agents]. National Academy Press (Washington, D.C.). ISBN 0-309-09153-5 (paperback).
== External links ==
*BiodefenseEducation.org - [http://www.biodefenseeducation.org A biodefense digital library and learning collaboratory ]
*[http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/biodefense/ NIAID Biodefense Research]
[[Category:Bioethics]]
[[Category:Biological warfare]]
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