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August 6, 1997, Vol 278, No. 5 >
ARTICLE | August 6, 1997

Biological Terrorism: Title and subTitle BreakPreparing to Meet the Threat FREE

Jeffrey D. Simon, PhD
[+] Author Affiliations

Reprints: Jeffrey D. Simon, PhD, Political Risk Assessment Co, Inc, PO Box 82, Santa Monica, CA 90406 (e-mail: jdsimon@earthlink.net).


JAMA. 1997;278(5):428-430. doi:10.1001/jama.1997.03550050090039
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References

The threat of terrorists using biological warfare agents has received increased attention in recent years. Despite the hope that, with the right mix of policies, security measures, and intelligence gathering, a major biological warfare terrorist attack can be prevented, the history of conventional terrorism indicates otherwise. The greatestpayoff in combating biological terrorism lies in focusing on how best to respond to a terrorist attack. The medical and emergency service communities will play the most important role in that process. Ensuring that they are trained to recognize the symptoms of diseases caused by biological warfare agents and have Critical Incident Stress Debriefing teams available to help them cope with the emotional aspects of treating exposed survivors should be part of contingency planning. By improving our readiness to respond to biological terrorism, many lives can be saved and terrorists denied their goal of creating panic and crisis throughout the country.

REFERENCES

1 +
Global Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, Hearings Before the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Governmental Affairs, US Senate, 104th Cong, 1st Sess, Part 1, October 31 and November 1, 1995 (hearings also held by the Subcommittee on March 20,22, and 27, 1996).
2 +
US Congress, Office of Technology Assessment. Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction: Assessing the Risks . Washington, DC: Office of Technology Assessment; August 1993;. Document OTA ISC 559.
3 +
US Congress, Office of Technology Assessment. Technologies Underlying Weapons of Mass Destruction . Washington, DC: Office of Technology Assessment; December 1993;. Document OTA BP ISC 115.
4 +
Bailey KC. Doomsday Weapons in the Hands of Many: The Arms Control Challenge of the '90s . Urbana: University of Illinois Press; 1991;.
5 +
Kupperman RH, Smith DM.  Coping with biological terrorism . In: Roberts B, ed. Biological Weapons: Weapons of the Future? Washington, DC: Center for Strategic and International Studies; 1993;:35-46.
6 +
G-7 [Group of Seven industrialized nations—United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, and Canada] Declaration on Terrorism. G-7 Economic Summit, Lyon, France, June 27, 1996.
7 +
Stephenson J.  Confronting a biological Armageddon: experts tackle prospect of bioterrorism . JAMA . 1996;;276:349-351.
8 +
Flanagin A, Lederberg J.  The threat of biological weapons: prophylaxis and mitigation: call for papers . JAMA . 1996;;276:419-420.
9 +
Simon JD. The Terrorist Trap: America's Experience With Terrorism . Bloomington: Indiana University Press; 1994;.
10 +
Mallonee S,Shariat S, Stennies G, Waxweiler R, Hogan D, Jordan F.  Physical injuries and fatalities resulting from the Oklahoma City bombing . JAMA . 1996;;276:382-390.
11 +
Andrew C, Gordievsky O. KGB: The Inside Story . New York, NY: Harper Collins; 1990;:644-645.
12 +
US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases. Medical Management of Biological Casualties Handbook . Ft Dietrick, Frederick, Md: US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases; August 1993;:92.
13 +
Simon JD.  The new age of terrorism . Boston Globe . (April 19) ,1996;:19.
14 +
Sopko JF.  The changing proliferation threat . Foreign Policy . 1996-1997;;105:3-20.
15 +
Burns C, Harm NJ.  Emergency nurses' perceptions of critical incidents and stress debriefing . J Emerg Nurs . 1993;:19:431-436.
16 +
Skolnick AA.  First complex disaster symposium features dramatically timely topics . JAMA . 1995;;274:11-12.
17 +
Mitchell JT, Everly GS. Critical Incident Stress Debriefing: An Operations Manual for the Prevention of Traumatic Stress Among Emergency Services and Disaster Workers . 2nd ed rev. Ellicott City, Md: Chevron Publishing Corp; 1995, 1996;.
18 +
Kahn H. Thinking About the Unthinkable . London, England: Weidenfeld & Nicolson; 1962;.

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1 +
Global Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, Hearings Before the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Governmental Affairs, US Senate, 104th Cong, 1st Sess, Part 1, October 31 and November 1, 1995 (hearings also held by the Subcommittee on March 20,22, and 27, 1996).
2 +
US Congress, Office of Technology Assessment. Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction: Assessing the Risks . Washington, DC: Office of Technology Assessment; August 1993;. Document OTA ISC 559.
3 +
US Congress, Office of Technology Assessment. Technologies Underlying Weapons of Mass Destruction . Washington, DC: Office of Technology Assessment; December 1993;. Document OTA BP ISC 115.
4 +
Bailey KC. Doomsday Weapons in the Hands of Many: The Arms Control Challenge of the '90s . Urbana: University of Illinois Press; 1991;.
5 +
Kupperman RH, Smith DM.  Coping with biological terrorism . In: Roberts B, ed. Biological Weapons: Weapons of the Future? Washington, DC: Center for Strategic and International Studies; 1993;:35-46.
6 +
G-7 [Group of Seven industrialized nations—United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, and Canada] Declaration on Terrorism. G-7 Economic Summit, Lyon, France, June 27, 1996.
7 +
Stephenson J.  Confronting a biological Armageddon: experts tackle prospect of bioterrorism . JAMA . 1996;;276:349-351.
8 +
Flanagin A, Lederberg J.  The threat of biological weapons: prophylaxis and mitigation: call for papers . JAMA . 1996;;276:419-420.
9 +
Simon JD. The Terrorist Trap: America's Experience With Terrorism . Bloomington: Indiana University Press; 1994;.
10 +
Mallonee S,Shariat S, Stennies G, Waxweiler R, Hogan D, Jordan F.  Physical injuries and fatalities resulting from the Oklahoma City bombing . JAMA . 1996;;276:382-390.
11 +
Andrew C, Gordievsky O. KGB: The Inside Story . New York, NY: Harper Collins; 1990;:644-645.
12 +
US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases. Medical Management of Biological Casualties Handbook . Ft Dietrick, Frederick, Md: US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases; August 1993;:92.
13 +
Simon JD.  The new age of terrorism . Boston Globe . (April 19) ,1996;:19.
14 +
Sopko JF.  The changing proliferation threat . Foreign Policy . 1996-1997;;105:3-20.
15 +
Burns C, Harm NJ.  Emergency nurses' perceptions of critical incidents and stress debriefing . J Emerg Nurs . 1993;:19:431-436.
16 +
Skolnick AA.  First complex disaster symposium features dramatically timely topics . JAMA . 1995;;274:11-12.
17 +
Mitchell JT, Everly GS. Critical Incident Stress Debriefing: An Operations Manual for the Prevention of Traumatic Stress Among Emergency Services and Disaster Workers . 2nd ed rev. Ellicott City, Md: Chevron Publishing Corp; 1995, 1996;.
18 +
Kahn H. Thinking About the Unthinkable . London, England: Weidenfeld & Nicolson; 1962;.

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