USA's BARDA gets its first Director

A recently-founded US government agency aims to procure and advance development of medical countermeasures - including vaccines and other drugs - against chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear agents and infectious diseases. The Biomedical Advanced Research Development Authority was established in 2007 as part of the Department of Health and Human Sciences' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. In addition to Project BioShield, which involves actions to counter any potential terrorist use of biological weapons against the USA, the BARDA is also the body responsible for ensuring that preparations exist for the eventuality of a health emergency, such as an avian influenza pandemic.

The BARDA has announced the appointment of its first Director, Robin Robinson, who was previously responsible for the successful procurement and stockpiling of the first H5N1 avian influenza vaccine to be approved for use in humans, according to a statement released by the DHHS. The vaccine was developed by UK-headquartered drug major GlaxoSmithKline (Marketletters passim).