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Biodefense and Related Programs
 Biodefense
 Radiation Countermeasures
 Chemical Countermeasures


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Biodefense

The Biodefense Web site of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), includes biodefense-related information for biomedical researchers, the public, and the media.

Medical Countermeasures Against Radiological and Nuclear Threats (Radiation Countermeasures) 

This is a joint program for which the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) assigned NIAID to develop a strategic plan and research agenda. NIAID is responsible for guiding all activities of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the development of a medical countermeasures program against radiological and nuclear threats. The Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation (DAIT) has been tasked with coordinating and administering the recent NIH effort to develop new medical countermeasures against radiological and nuclear threats. Through collaboration with the National Cancer Institute (NCI),  other federal agencies, academia, and industry, this plan promotes research that will lead to new and effective medical countermeasures to assess, diagnose, and care for civilians exposed to radiation and mitigate the harmful effects of such exposure. NIH will work closely with HHS to periodically update and prioritize the research development activities of this plan and ensure its integration as a key component of the larger national biodefense research agenda.

Medical Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats (Chemical Countermeasures)

This program is the culmination of NIH planning efforts to address chemical threats, with NIAID serving as the main coordinating and implementation biodefense research institute. NIAID has developed partnerships between the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and several other Institutes and Centers (ICs) to execute the Medical Chemical Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats Program. This program takes into account the ongoing efforts of other federal agencies and departments and is consistent with current chemical intelligence threat assessments. The success of the program will depend on cooperative efforts and partnerships with other federal agencies, academia, and industry. The overall goal of the program is to integrate cutting-edge research with the latest technological advances in science and medicine for a more rapid and effective response during an emergency.

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