PANDEMICSU.S. Can End Pandemics Within a Decade

Last week, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense released a report containing specific recommendations to Congress and the administration about how the U.S. could put an end to pandemics within a decade. This report comes as the United States approaches one million human deaths from COVID-19, culls millions of chickens to prevent the spread of avian influenza in the Midwest, and works to combat the use of biological weapons against Ukraine and throughout the world.

The Athena Agenda: Advancing The Apollo Program for Biodefense, provides recommendations to implement the 15 technology priorities described by the Commission in its 2021 report,  The Apollo Program for Biodefense, and also identifies the U.S. government organizations responsible for leadership, accountability, and engagement in public-private partnerships necessary for success. Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom, reason, and strategy. The Commission named this report after her to represent and symbolize the insight, strategy, and technological craft needed to achieve the Apollo Program for Biodefense. 

“Throughout our history, our Nation has achieved many great things once thought impossible,” said former Senator and Commission Co-Chair Joe Lieberman. “It was hard to imagine landing a person on the Moon in 1961, when President John F. Kennedy committed the United States to achieving that goal in 10 years. We accomplished the Apollo 11 mission 9 years later, with 161 days to spare. The United States can similarly put an end to pandemics within a decade if we commit ourselves fully to that goal.”

Sen. Lieberman noted that the President’s Budget Request for FY23 significantly addresses ten of the technology priorities identified by the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense in its 2021 Apollo Program for Biodefense report. “We thank the Biden Administration for this important leadership,” Sen. Lieberman added.

“Our country must decide to make prevention and deterrence of biological threats top priorities,” said former Secretary of Homeland Security and Commission Co-Chair, Governor Tom Ridge. “We simply cannot afford to focus only on responding to the current pandemic. Our continued vulnerabilities to biological threats increase the likelihood of biological attacks on our country, especially as advances in science and technology make it easier to produce biological weapons.”

For more information, visit TheNextApollo.com to learn more about The Apollo Program for Biodefense.