A Trans-NIH Initiative in Translational Research

The increased risk of a terrorist attack in the United States involving chemical agents has created new challenges for many departments and agencies across the federal government. Within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the NIH is taking a leadership role in pursuing the development of new and improved medical countermeasures designed to prevent and treat the acute and long-term conditions caused by potential and existing chemical threat agents. Many of these same chemicals not only pose as a terrorist threat agent, they may also be released from transportation and storage facilities during industrial accidents or natural disasters. The overarching goal of the CounterACT program is to integrate cutting-edge research with the latest technological advances in science and medicine for a more rapid and effective response during these chemical emergencies.

The CounterACT program supports basic and translational research aimed at the identification of better therapeutic medical countermeasures against chemical threat agents, and facilitates their movement through the drug development and regulatory processes in collaboration with other federal departments, agencies, and initiatives, such as the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (HHS BARDA) and the FDA Medical Countermeasures Initiative (MCMi). CounterACT is part of the HHS Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE), which coordinates MCM-related efforts across HHS and USG interagency partners. The NIH Strategic Plan and Research Agenda for Medical Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats outlines the short and long-term goals to improve the nation's ability to diagnose, prevent, and treat injuries resulting from chemical attacks or accidents.  This NIH-led program includes a comprehensive network of Research Centers of Excellence, individual cooperative research projects, small business innovation research grants, contracts, and interagency agreements with the Department of Defense. 

The CounterACT program is funded by a special annual Congressional supplemental appropriation to the NIH budget through the Office of the Director (NIH OD) and operates under the oversight of the Office of Biodefense Research and Surety (OBRS) at the NIAID. This is a trans-NIH effort, involving partnerships with the NEI, NIAID, NIAMS, NICHD, NIEHS, NIDA, NIGMS and NINDS to execute the overall NIH Medical Research Program Directed Against Chemical Threats.