Chapter V. Prevent Our Enemies from Threatening Us, Our Allies, and Our Friends with Weapons
of Mass Destruction
Section C. The Way Ahead - 2. Biological Weapons
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Biological weapons also pose a grave WMD threat because of the risks of contagion that
would spread disease across large populations and around the globe. Unlike nuclear
weapons, biological weapons do not require hard-to-acquire infrastructure or materials.
This makes the challenge of controlling their spread even greater.
National Security Strategy 21
Countering the spread of biological weapons requires a strategy focused on improving
our capacity to detect and respond to biological attacks, securing dangerous pathogens,
and limiting the spread of materials useful for biological weapons. The United States is
working with partner nations and institutions to strengthen global biosurveillance
capabilities for early detection of suspicious outbreaks of disease. We have launched
new initiatives at home to modernize our public health infrastructure and to encourage
industry to speed the development of new classes of vaccines and medical
countermeasures. This will also enhance our Nation's ability to respond to pandemic
public health threats, such as avian influenza.
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