Biosecurity and Bioterrorism Is Now Health Security

BALTIMORE, Feb. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The journal Biosecurity and Bioterrorism has changed its name to Health Security. The bimonthly peer-reviewed journal is published in print and online by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., Publishers, of New Rochelle, NY (http://www.liebertpub.com/default.aspx).

Launched at the beginning of 2003, Biosecurity and Bioterrorism has become one of the premiere journals in science and policy in the areas of biosecurity, emergency preparedness, and community resilience. The Journal is now read in more than 90 countries worldwide by thought leaders, policymakers, medical and public health practitioners, legislators, and media people.

Over the years, the field itself has broadened to include the continued risk of pandemics and emerging infectious diseases, natural disasters, outbreaks of foodborne illness, health emergencies caused by acts of terrorism, and the potential for biological, chemical, and nuclear accidents.

The new title, Health Security, better reflects the expanded horizons and challenges of readers and authors from the range of professions and expertise relevant to the science and practice of preparedness and response.

Examples of the range of serious threats to the public's health in just the past year, as well as the potential for new health interventions and controversies, make clear the importance of our preparedness and response efforts and why we need to continue to invest in and strengthen them:

• The world's largest outbreak to date of Ebola virus in West Africa has implications for health infrastructure and infection control worldwide.
• MERS-CoV continues to spread in the Middle East.
• The Chikungunya outbreak in the Western Hemisphere continues to grow.
• This year the US joined 30 countries and international organizations, including WHO, OIE, and FAO, in introducing the Global Health Security Agenda, which seeks to promote global health through prevention, detection, and rapid, effective response.
• The White House released its strategy for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
• The discovery of smallpox virus in a storage room at the NIH, the accidental exposure of CDC employees to anthrax, and the accidental shipment by CDC of a highly pathogenic H5N1 strain all highlight the ongoing importance of biosecurity and biosafety in the laboratory.
• The US government's announcement of a moratorium on funding of gain-of-function research has sparked an important debate among scientists.

"It is more important than ever to continue to examine scientific and technological innovations that strengthen our ability to prepare for and respond to these types of emergencies," notes Editor-in-Chief Tom Inglesby, MD. "The work published in this journal will give us a better understanding of what strategies could save the most lives, where resources might have the most impact, and what national policies and international collaborations can produce the most important benefits."

Health Security is the only peer-reviewed journal dedicated to this set of issues. The new name signals a commitment to protecting people's health after epidemics or disasters and to ensuring that communities are resilient to major health challenges.

As we begin our 13th volume year, we are pleased to welcome a distinguished group of new Editorial Board members:

• Sheri Fink, MD, The New York Times
• David Heymann, MD, Head and Senior Fellow, Chatham House Centre on Global Health Security, London
• James G. Hodge, Jr., JD, LLM,Director, Public Health Law and Policy Program, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University
• Gary Kobinger, PhD, Chief, Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada
• Steve H. S. Kuo, MD, MPH, PhD, Director-General, Taiwan Centers for Disease Control
• Rickard Knutsson, PhD, Swedish National Veterinary Institute
• Tikki Pang (Pangestu), PhD, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore
• Andy Robertson, CSC, PSM, Director, Disaster Management, Regulation and Planning, Western Australian Department of Health

The Journal is online at http://www.liebertpub.com/hs.

Health Security, published bimonthly in print and online by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., is a peer-reviewed journal that explores the issues posed by disease outbreaks and epidemics; natural disasters; biological, chemical, and nuclear accidents or deliberate threats; foodborne outbreaks; and other health emergencies. It offers important insight into how to develop the systems needed to meet these challenges.

The UPMC Center for Health Security is an independent nonprofit organization that works to protect people's health from the consequences of epidemics and disasters and to ensure that communities are resilient to major challenges.

CONTACT:
Matt Watson
PH: 443-573-3304
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE UPMC Center for Health Security