Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense

July 22, 2025 - In this meeting, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense explores: (1) core requirements for effective national biodefense; (2) Administration biodefense priorities; (3) impacts of department and agency realignment; and (4) strategies for addressing future biological threats.   Speakers include: Michael Place, MD (Major General, US Army – Retired) – Former Chief of Staff, Office of the Surgeon General, US Army Command, US Army Erica Pan, MD, MPH – Director and State Public Health Officer, California Department of Public Health Alex Hamberg, VMD, PhD – State Veterinarian, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Clint Osborn – Director, District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency Lori Tremmel Freeman, MBA – Chief Executive Officer, National Association of County and City Health Officials Tina Tan, MD, FIDSA, FPIDS, FAAP – President, Infectious Disease Society of America Ali S. Khan, MD, MPH – Dean, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center Richard J. Hatchett, MD – Chief Executive Officer, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations Matthew Hepburn, MD – Executive Vice President, Research and Development, Panther Life Sciences Leonard J. Marcus, PhD – Co-Director, National Preparedness Leadership Initiative, Harvard University Taylor Sexton, MPH – Executive Director, Medical Countermeasures Coalition David Stiefel, MA – Director, Global Biological Policy and Programs, Nuclear Threat Initiative Joe Buccina, MA, MS– Policy and Research Director, National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology Patricia R. Bright, DVM – Former Senior Science Advisor, One Health/Global Health Security, US Geological Survey Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/biodefense-in-crisis-danger-and-opportunity/  

This Commission meeting, Astrobiodefense: Biological Threats and the Next Frontier, was held on May 8, 2025. The focus of this meeting will be to provide the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense with a better understanding of how to strengthen international astrobiodefense and planetary protection efforts through: (1) current government astrobiodefense efforts; (2) new scientific and technological advances for astrobiodefense; and (3) collaborative efforts and public-private partnerships to improve astrobiodefense. See more information here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/astrobiodefense-biological-threats-and-the-next-frontier/  

The Commission's May 8, 2025 meeting began with Executive Director Dr. Asha M. George delivering the first annual State of National Biodefense address. The increasing biological threat and uncertainty surrounding federal biodefense programs and capabilities necessitates a clear-eyed examination of the threat and US efforts to address critical capability gaps. This address will lay out the current realities of national biodefense and the Commission’s vision for a future where the Nation can more effectively prevent, deter, prepare for, detect, respond to, attribute, recover from, and mitigate biological incidents. Read her written testimony here: https://biodefensecommission.org/the-state-of-u-s-biodefense-written-remarks-by-dr-asha-m-george/  

This Commission meeting, Under the Weather: The Nexus of Climate Change and Biodefense, was held on Thursday, December 5, 2024 at 58 East 68th St., New York, NY 10065. The focus of this meeting was to provide the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense with a better understanding of: 1) the effects of climate change on human health and one health, 2) the future implications of migration and shifting disease patterns, and 3) policy considerations to reduce the inevitable impacts of climate change on biodefense. Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/fluency-true-expertise-and-effectiveness-in-the-battle-against-influenza-2/ 

The Commission meeting, FLUency: True Expertise and Effectiveness in the Battle Against Influenza, was held on Tuesday, October 8th, in Washington, DC. The focus of this meeting is to provide the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense with a better understanding of: (1) national leadership to defend food and agriculture against influenza; (2) federal operational requirements for preparedness, coordination, and response; (3) biosurveillance, forecasting, and the need for diagnostic tests; and (4) front-line needs and partnerships in the fight against influenza. Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/fluency-true-expertise-and-effectiveness-in-the-battle-against-influenza-2/  

In this meeting, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense will explore: (1) how the federal government currently addresses indoor air quality; (2) new scientific and technological advances for indoor air quality; and (3) how enhancing indoor air quality can help prevent the spread of pathogens. Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/masters-of-the-air-overcoming-airborne-pathogens-indoors/  

We all lost a visionary leader and friend with the unexpected passing of Senator Joe Lieberman, who along with Governor Tom Ridge co-chaired the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense for ten years. His death came just as the Commission was preparing to release our 2024 National Blueprint for Biodefense: Immediate Action Needed to Defend Against Biological Threats. Senator Lieberman, who worked tirelessly to defend Americans against biological threats, was a driving force behind this report. So, it is only fitting that we host a special tribute to Senator Lieberman as we publicly release the new National Blueprint for Biodefense. The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense (formerly the Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense) was established in 2014 to provide a comprehensive assessment of the state of United States biodefense efforts and to issue recommendations that foster change. Subsequently, the Commission has briefed White House Administrations (including then Vice President Biden); testified before Congress; convened numerous meetings with experts; released 12 reports; produced the graphic novel Germ Warfare; and mobilized biodefense conversations and actions in the private and public sectors. In its  2015 bipartisan report,  A National Blueprint for Biodefense: Leadership and Major Reform Needed to Optimize Efforts, the Commission described biological threats to the Nation and made 33 recommendations to optimize US efforts to prevent, deter, prepare for, detect, respond to, attribute, recover from, and mitigate intentionally introduced, accidentally released, and naturally occurring biological events. Many recommendations from this report have been taken up by the government, including the National Biodefense Strategy, a federal biodefense budget crosscut by the Office of Management and Budget, and the recent Biodefense Posture Review by the Department of Defense. The world continues to experience rising threats from offensive biological weapons programs, lab accidents, and outbreaks affecting our national security. There have been burgeoning biotechnological advances in medical countermeasures (e.g., antibiotics, antivirals, vaccines, diagnostics) yet huge gaps in prevention, deterrence, preparedness, detection, response, attribution, recovery, and mitigation still remain. The federal government must address gaps in the US biodefense enterprise. Nine years after its seminal report, the Commission is releasing the 2024 National Blueprint on Biodefense with specific recommendations for government leaders in Congress and the Administration to strengthen the federal government’s biodefense posture.   Learn more here: A Tribute to Senator Lieberman with the Release of the 2024 National Blueprint for Biodefense - Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense (biodefensecommission.org)

This meeting was recorded on Tuesday, December 5, 2023. Find more information about this meeting here: Meeting the Moment: Biodefense Policy, Procurement, and Public Health - Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense (biodefensecommission.org) As the Nation continues to endure the consequences of recent pandemics, and with continued interest in biological weapons by nation states and other enemies, the federal government has an opportunity to address vulnerabilities in the biodefense enterprise. At this meeting, titled Meeting the Moment: Biodefense Policy, Procurement, and Public Health, the Commission intends to further explore : (1) biodefense policies and activities at the Department of Defense; (2) federal stockpile evaluation and decision-making for smallpox medical countermeasures; (3) needed authorities of the Department of Health and Human Services, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and (4) biodefense leadership.

In this meeting, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense will explore: (1) state and local efforts to strengthen public health and biodefense; (2) special security management of biological threats to mass gatherings; and (3) efforts to understand and mitigate the agricultural impact of biological threats to plants and animals. Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/no-checkered-flag-the-perpetual-race-against-biological-threats/ Speakers will include: Governor Eric J. Holcomb Virginia A. Caine, MD, Director and Chief Medical Officer, Marion County Public Health Department Kristina Box, MD, Former Indiana State Health Commissioner Tory Castor, JD, Senior Vice President of Governmental Affairs, Indiana University Health Sergeant Robert Brown Jr., Program Manager, Counter-WMD (CBRNE) Unit, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Special Agent Casey P. Farrell, Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordinator, Indianapolis, Federal Bureau of Investigation Julia Vaizer, MD, Medical Director, Indianapolis Motor Speedway John Ball, Vice President, Security and Event Services, Pacers Sports & Entertainment Darcy E. P. Telenko, PhD, Associate Professor of Plant Pathology, Purdue University Bret D. Marsh, DVM, Indiana State Veterinarian, Indiana State Board of Animal Health Paul Ebner, PhD, Professor of Animal Sciences, Purdue University  

As the biological threat continues to evolve, biological intelligence gathering, analysis, and dissemination activities must increase to keep pace with the advances of our adversaries. At this upcoming meeting, the Commission intends to further explore the expanding nature of the biological threat, the federal biological intelligence enterprise, and information sharing with non-federal governments. See here for more information: Solving the Puzzle: Biological Intelligence and Information Sharing - Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense (biodefensecommission.org) Speakers include: The Honorable Kenneth L. Wainstein – Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of Homeland Security Dr. Paul Friedrichs – Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Global Health Security & Biodefense, National Security Council, The White House; former Joint Staff Surgeon, Department of Defense Marina Mayo – Section Chief, Countermeasures and Mitigation, Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate, Federal Bureau of Investigation Dr. William T. “Thom” Burnett – Chief Scientist, National Center for Medical Intelligence, Department of Defense Dr. Chris Rodriguez – Director, District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency  Joshua Bushweller – Director, Delaware Information & Analysis Center, Delaware State Police                                 Colin Mulloy – Deputy Director, Kansas Intelligence Fusion Center Judith Harrison – Assistant Chief, Counterterrorism Division, New York City Police Department

In this upcoming meeting, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense intends to further explore the prevention, deterrence, and attribution of biological threats. The discussion will delve into how these critical elements of biodefense can be improved through technology, policy, and coordination. This meeting will inform the Commission’s refresh of the National Blueprint for Biodefense, which we will issue later this year. Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/informing-blueprint-2-0-know-the-enemy/

Recorded on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 In this meeting, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense further explores preparedness needs and efforts, new solutions to improve biosurveillance, and data modernization. The discussion delves into how preparedness coordination between federal and state efforts can be better harmonized and how the nation can best ensure having eyes on the ground during the emergence of a biothreat. This meeting will inform the Commission’s refresh of the National Blueprint for Biodefense, which we will issue later this year. See more information about this meeting here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/informing-blueprint-2-0-please-look-up/

Seven years after the release of the Commission’s National Blueprint for Biodefense, the Nation remains critically unprepared for future biological events, which threaten to strain resources and impact government efforts to address threats like COVID-19. At this meeting, the Commission intends to further explore challenges for biodefense response, recovery, and mitigation capabilities at all levels of government and the private sector. Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/even...

On Thursday, September 22, 2022 the Commission held an in-person meeting - Banding Together: Partnerships for Biodefense. The Commission delved into how to optimize partnerships to defend against biological threats, a critical enabler of success identified in its report released earlier this year, The Athena Agenda: Advancing The Apollo Program for Biodefense. The meeting examined what is needed to incentivize and effectively manage partnerships between the federal government and industry, academia, and nongovernmental organizations to drive technology innovation and improve biological intelligence for current and future threats.

On Tuesday, May 3, 2022 the Commission convened an in-person meeting to provide the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense with a better understanding of: (1) biological incidents that affect homeland and national security; (2) roles and responsibilities of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in addressing biological threats; and (3) opportunities to enhance national biodefense.   See more information about the event here: When Borders Don’t Matter: Defending the Homeland Against Biological Threats - Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense 

On Tuesday, March 22, 2022, the Commission convened for an in-person meeting to provide a better understanding of: (1) the expanding landscape of current and future biological threats; (2) the roles and responsibilities of the federal government in assess and preparing for various biological threats; and (3) biological weapons, bioterrorism, and biological arms races. More information on the event is available here: The Biological Threat Expanse: Current and Future Challenges to National Biodefense - Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense

The Commission’s baseline 2015 report, A National Blueprint for Biodefense: Leadership and Major Reform Needed to Optimize Efforts, warned that the United States was inadequately prepared for biological threats. Six years later, the U.S. experience with COVID-19 continues to validate our original findings. The Commission’s January 2021 report, The Apollo Program for Biodefense: Winning the Race Against Biological Threats, details an ambitious goal-directed program to develop and deploy the technologies needed to defend against all biological threats, empower public health, and prevent pandemics within just ten years. Since the release of this report, the pandemic continues to cause devastation throughout the United States and the world. Likewise, the risk of an accidental or deliberate release of even deadlier pathogens continues to rise. The past year has only emboldened the idea that we cannot let a pandemic like the one we are facing, or something worse, ever happen again. On December 8, 2021, we convened an in-person meeting of the Commission, The Athena Agenda: Executing The Apollo Program for Biodefense, to provide a better understanding of ongoing federal efforts to implement The Apollo Program for Biodefense, the role of the private sector in implementing The Apollo Program for Biodefense, how the public and private sectors can fully implement The Apollo Program for Biodefense within ten years.

In its 2015 report, A National Blueprint for Biodefense: Leadership and Major Reform Needed to Optimize Efforts, the Commission addressed inadequacies of BioWatch, the Department of Homeland Security environmental biodetection program. Established in 2003, the federal government intended for BioWatch to provide early warning of biological attacks on major metropolitan areas. However, after nearly two decades of operation, the system is ineffective. There is little evidence that the system effectively detects pathogens of interest, and even if it did, pathogen detection turnaround time is too slow for the government to effectively respond to any actual biological attack. If the federal government continues to spend more taxpayer money on next generation biodetection systems, a reassessment of current efforts is necessary. A new report by the Commission – Saving Sisyphus: Advanced Biodetection for the 21st Century – details specific actions that must be taken by Congress and the Biden Administration before another devastating attack occurs. On November 2, 2021, the Commission held an in-person meeting, Saving Sisyphus: Course Corrections for National Biodetection, to provide a better understanding of challenges facing federal biodetection programs, public and private advancements in environmental biodetection technology, and mission requirements for 21st Century biodetection capabilities.

NOTE: This event was prerecorded on June 15, 2021. In its 2015 report, A National Blueprint for Biodefense: Leadership and Major Reform Needed to Optimize Efforts, the Commission identified the need to safeguard pathogen and advanced biotechnology information against cyber-attacks and illicit access. Due to the increasing convergence of cyber and biological sciences, in September 2019, the Commission addressed cyberbiosecurity at its public meeting, Cyberbio Convergence: Characterizing the Multiplicative Threat. Building on that earlier work, the Commission believes it is imperative to continually evaluate these threats and vulnerabilities to keep pace with these two domains as their convergence accelerates. On June 15, 2021, the Commission held and recorded Biologia et Machina: Cyberbiosecurity for Today’s Hybrid Evolution, a virtual meeting of the Commission to provide a better understanding of current and future cyberbiosecurity threats and vulnerabilities, opportunities and solutions to address these threats, and the role of the federal government in securing the future. Please visit the event page for more details, including a list of the speakers: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/biologia-et-machina-cyberbiosecurity-for-todays-hybrid-evolution/  

On March 23, 2021, we premiered a virtual meeting of the Commission to further explore the of the first responder community and how the federal government can better support non-federal response to future biological incidents. The Commission’s 2018 report, Holding the Line on Biodefense: State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Reinforcements Needed, focused on federal assistance to state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments in addressing large-scale biological events. Police, fire, emergency medical services, hazmat and other first responders are the backbone of SLTT efforts to react to the biological threat. First responders must also continue serving their communities while addressing the threat. However, the federal government has left the nation’s first responders ill-equipped and underinformed when addressing events like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. First responders require resources and information so that they can effectively manage the biological threat, keep the citizenry informed, and make decisions about using medical countermeasures themselves. More information about this meeting, including a full agenda, is available here.