Image on right: Courtesy of Air Force Link

Biological threats to human health and security are many, growing and worrisome. Iraq and other rogue regimes have acquired biological weapons capabilities, and unknown perpetrators recently sent anthrax spores through the U.S. mail, killing five Americans. Meanwhile, HIV/AIDS continues its relentless spread through large swaths of the developing world, and a host of infectious diseases, old and new, grow more mobile every day.

With these issues in mind, a panel of experts on March 14:

• Analyzed the range of bio-terror threats and our preparedness to deal with them.
• Assessed the extent to which the HIV/AIDS pandemic and other infectious diseases may lead to violent conflict.
• Discussed ongoing efforts to strengthen the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention, which lacks any formal compliance measures.

This presentation was webcast live and included questions from the floor and Internet.

Speakers

• KEN BERNARD, M.D.
  Assistant Surgeon General, U.S. Public Health Service
• KATHLEEN VOGEL, PH.D.
  Post-Doctoral Fellow, Institute of Public Policy, University of New Mexico
• JONATHAN B. TUCKER, PH.D.
  Director, Chemical & Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program, Monterey Institute of International Studies, Washington DC Office

Moderator

• DAVID HEYMAN, PH.D.
  Senior Fellow, Technology and Public Policy Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies